Gilda Settle

     Gilda Settle  93, of Calhoun passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 9th, 2020 at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital.  Gilda Gray Erwin was born November 14, 1926 in Detroit, Michigan to the late George Riley and Beulah Mae Wiley Erwin and was married to Delbert Dyer Settle June 5, 1948.

     Gilda moved from Detroit to the Shutts Chapel Community of Mclean County where she attended elementary school and then moved to Calhoun and graduated from Calhoun High School in 1944.  Upon graduation, she attended Lindsey Wilson Junior College for one year and then attended  Western Kentucky University becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college.  After college, she returned to Calhoun and married Delbert Settle in 1948 and started teaching at Calhoun School.  She taught English and physical education at all grade levels at a time when teachers’ salaries were barely above the poverty line, paddling was a daily occurrence, and  smoking in the teachers’ lounge was a given.  At that time, females had to wear heels, skirts at mid-calf and had to go on maternity leave when they started “showing.”  To this day, Gilda thought jeans were so inappropriate for teachers and that being pregnant was not a reason to have to quit working.

     Gilda was a lover of all kinds of music, especially Big Band, Glenn Miller and the Gospel music of Bill Gaither.  She was an avid reader, sometimes reading until  the middle of the night and always kept up with the sports pages to be able to carry on with her family about sports, sometimes taking the “other side”  especially against UK basketball,  just because  she got so tired of the  know it all UK fans.

     Gilda was a dedicated, life-long member of the Calhoun United Methodist Church, a charter member of the Jack and Gene Sunday school class and was very involved using her musical and artistic gifts.  She was a member of and directed the choir along with singing some very memorable duets with her good friend, Mary Jane Revlett.  She used her art skills to design and make the nativity scene decades ago that is still used today.  Gilda also painted many pictures that are present in her families and friends’ homes.  She also loved the times she shared in the Smoky Mountains, Florida and on the Green River with Delbert.

     Most of all,  Gilda was exceptionally proud of her family and was a very loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother who was very involved, selfless, helpful and  protective and loved the entire family coming together to celebrate birthdays, holidays and other special events.  Although she would never say, one of her major accomplishments was taking care of her husband,  Delbert in his last few years.  In addition to her parents, Gilda was preceded in death by her grandparents, Curtis, Emma and Sophia Wiley, Gertie and Willie Erwin, by her husband of 64 years, Delbert Dyer Settle and by a son-in-law, Gary Dant.

     Left to remember and carry on her unconditional love, and fighting spirit is her oldest daughter and primary care giver, Trudy Tichenor (Gates) of Calhoun,  another daughter, Nancy Dant (Gary, deceased) of Calhoun; two sons, Curtis Settle (Eliza) of Washington, Indiana, and Gates Settle (Angela) of Owensboro; five grandchildren, Marc Dant (Patti) of Hartford, Jennifer Lovell (Danny) of Calhoun, Quinton Settle of New York City, Isaac Settle, and Ethan Settle both of  Owensboro; and five great grandchildren, Marci Dant, JT Dant, Tyler Lovell, Grant Lovell, and Mason Lovell.

     Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Tuesday Muster Funeral Homes, Calhoun Chapel with the Rev. Tony St.Clair officiating.  Burial will be in the Calhoun Cemetery in McLean County.  Friends may visit with Gilda’s family from 10:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. Tuesday at Musters in Calhoun.

     The Gilda Settle family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to Calhoun United Methodist Church; P.O. Box 65; Calhoun, Kentucky  42327.  Memorial contribution envelopes will be available at Musters in Calhoun.

     The family would also like to thank Dr. Hugh Wilhite and his staff for all their attention and help over the years with Gilda and Delbert  and also the 8th floor of Owensboro Health for the utmost care and professionalism.  A special thanks to Dr. Buchanan,  Dr. Makhoul,  Dr. Haria and all their staffs.

     Share your memories and photos of Gilda at musterfuneralhomes.com.

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