Gilbert Joseph Negrette Jr's Obituary
A Quiet Melody Lives On
May 31st, 1954 – October 27th, 2025
Gilbert Joseph Negrette Jr., 71, of Hayward, California, passed away on October 27, 2025, after an almost two-year battle with ALS.
Born on May 31, 1954, in South Gate, California, to Captain Gilbert Joseph Negrette Sr. and Angela Mary Pacheco, Gilbert was the youngest and only son in his family, joining his older sisters Irene, Diane, and Cathy. He grew up in the Los Angeles area before moving to Mariposa with his family in 1964, where he attended Mariposa High School for his freshman and sophomore years and was on the freshman football team. He was also in a band called Chest Fever. The family later moved to Citrus Heights in the early 1970s, where he graduated from San Juan High School. He later settled in Hayward along with his parents in 1973, where he attended Hayward State University. During the summer years of college, he worked in Yosemite flipping burgers at Camp Curry.
On New Year’s Eve of 1985 in Lake Tahoe, Gilbert married the love of his life, Maureen Lynn Blossom, whom he met through her twin brother Marlin, who was his best friend. Together they shared nearly 40 wonderful years of marriage, building a beautiful life and raising three daughters — April, Dominique, and Desiree — who were his greatest joy and pride. In his later years, he was blessed with two beloved grandsons, Clarence and Julian, the youngest arriving just weeks before his passing.
Gilbert started working for Amfack in 1982, before Ferguson Enterprises bought out
Amfack. He retired in 2019 after 37 years of service. In 2023, Gil was diagnosed with ALS, which he fought with determination and grace even when the disease took his ability to speak or walk. Throughout it all, he maintained his strength, sense of humor, and love for his family — always making sure they were taken care of, even toward the end.
A lifelong music lover, Gilbert was an especially devoted fan of The Beatles. Their songs were the soundtrack of his life, and he cherished the memory of seeing Paul McCartney perform live at AT&T Park in July of 2010 — an experience he often spoke of with joy. Beyond his love of music, Gil was passionate about genealogy, spending countless hours researching his family’s history and preserving the stories of those who came before him — a reflection of his deep appreciation for family roots and legacy. He also had a keen mind for finance and investing. He enjoyed following the stock market, studying trends, and sharing his knowledge of trading with family and friends.
Gilbert will be joining in death his parents, Gil and Angie Negrette; his older infant sister, Loretta; his grandparents, Rodrigo and Concepcion Pacheco and Rafael and Lupe Negrete; his niece, Christy Power; his great-nephew, Ryan Salazar; as well as his brother-in-law, Marlin Blossom; sister-in-law, Sue Saunders; father-in-law, Clarence Blossom; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
He is survived by his loving wife Maureen; daughters April, Dominique, and Desiree; and grandsons Clarence and Julian. He is also survived by his sisters Irene Walker, Diane Pfutzner and her husband Jim, and Cathy Power and her husband Mike; sisters-in-law Jackie Garcia and her husband Anthony and Linda Knight; brother-in-law Robert Blossom; as well as many loving nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, great-great-nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends who loved him dearly. Gilbert will be remembered for his kindness, humor, curiosity, and deep devotion to his loved ones. He loved sharing stories, lending a helping hand, and bringing laughter to any room he entered. His legacy of love, strength, and song will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.
Services will be held at a later date (TBD) at Skylawn Memorial Park, 888 Lifemark Road, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019. Burial will follow at Skylawn Memorial Park, with a reception to take place afterward.
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” — The Beatle
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