Ralph F. Gilby, Jr., PhD

Ralph F Gilby, Jr., PhD, a kind and gentle man with a keen intelligence and an encyclopedic memory, passed away at Christiana Hospital on November 25, 2017. A Wilmington resident, He was 88.

Ralph was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Ralph F Gilby and Emma (Banosky) Gilby. Gifted with near-total recall, Ralph was only 16 when he enrolled at Texas A&M University. After earning his Bachelor’s degree, he went on to graduate school, receiving his Master’s and PhD in organic chemistry from Texas A&M in three years.

Ralph joined the DuPont Company in 1954 and retired in 1990. He was a recipient of DuPont’s Marketing Excellence Award for his work on the development and technical marketing of Kevlar a high-performance material used in a wide range of products from the Poseiden rocket missile casings to bullet-resistant vests.

An avid reader, he had eclectic taste in books. Just before his death he was reading David Crystal’s” “Making Sense: The Glamorous Story of English Grammar”, “Reality is Not What it Seems: The Journey to Quantum Gravity,” by Carlo Rovelli, and Lee Child’s latest Jack Reacher thriller. Ralph also loved classical music and opera. A patron of the New York Metropolitan Opera for many years, he spent his Saturday afternoons listening to the opera broadcasts over WRTI (90.1 FM). He enjoyed traveling abroad with Pat, seeking out places renowned for their food and wine. Paris was a favorite destination.

Anyone who met or knew Ralph liked and respected him, as he did for everyone he met. Always listening carefully, even though he knew all the answers’ everyone felt valued in conversations with Ralph. His gifts made everyone feel important. Ralph was a loyal and long-suffering fan of the Dallas Cowboys.  

He will be forever remembered by a close circle of loyal friends.

In addition to his wife Patricia “Pat” Gallihar Gilby, Ralph Gilby is survived by a brother, Lee Gilby; a sister Opal “Dumpy” Gilby, two sons Ralph (Kim) Gilby and David (Terri) Gilby; a daughter Lee Ann Gilby Sestrich, and five grandchildren.

In keeping with Ralph’s wishes, there will be no memorial service and burial will be private.