Dr. Dore John Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Laguna Hills with his family nearby after a dignified and valiant struggle against the complications of ALS on July 29, 2021. Beloved husband, father, and grandfather, he was born on March 4, 1950, in Los Angeles to Martin and Frances (Cherney) Gilbert, who predecease him. Dore is survived by his much-loved wife of forty-five years, Gloria (Montaño), and his loving children, Melissa Gilbert; Martin and Meg (Parquette) Gilbert; Jake and Melinda (Gravitt) Gilbert; Jeffrey and Julissa (Ureña Martinez)
Gilbert, and Kevin and Diana (Arvizu Romero) Gilbert along with his grandchildren, Adelaide (3), Charlotte (1), Juliana (1), and Logan (7 months). Also surviving Dore is his younger brother Jay and his wife Sherri (Grush) Gilbert along with numerous nieces and nephews on both sides of the family. He also leaves behind hundreds of patients with many who relied on Dore for decades. Any who have enjoyed the blessing of a beloved physician whom they trusted for their health, consolation, and guidance, know what an irreplaceable loss this is. He practiced as a physician and Medical Director at Newport Dermatology and Laser Associates for 42 years and continued working until his illness would not allow it.

Dore was educated at Beverly Hills High School, the University of California at Santa Barbara where he also played football as a running back and linebacker, the University of Southern California Medical School and the UCLA Harbor General Hospital where he served first as a Dermatology Resident, then as Chief Resident from 1978-1979. He
contributed greatly to his chosen vocation as a former Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at UCLA Medical Center, former Chief of Dermatology at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, and a former Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of California at Irvine. Dore was a much sought-after speaker and lecturer for dermatology professional conferences from coast to coast especially in the specialty of laser surgery and treatments.

A life-long sports fan and natural skilled athlete, Dore gave back to his community as a coach for Little League softball and baseball. He was to be seen often at his kid's games in multiple sports. He somehow made the time to be a junior All-American football coach and baseball umpire for varsity high school and college games. Hockey was a particular favorite of his as a fan. Of course, his passion for the Dodgers never waned, and he enjoyed many games at Dodger Stadium with his family including one just one week before his passing. He went with his brother Jay to Dodger Fantasy
Camp in 1990 in Vero Beach, FL. There he formed friendships and played with all stars like Dusty Baker, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, Carl Erskine, Ralph Branca, Reggie Smith, and the legendary Tommy Lasorda. Most memorably for him, he caught at the camp for his baby brother, Jay, who pitched while both wore Dodger Blue.

Dore found many other venues to express his gratitude to the community that provided him so many opportunities. He served for twenty-nine years on the Board of Education for the Saddleback Valley Unified District, seven of them as Board President. He took great satisfaction from being able to speak at the high school or junior high school commencement ceremonies of all five of his children and handing them and their friends their diplomas. This evolved into other community involvement as a member of the Laguna Hills City Council for eight years and serving as Mayor.
Perhaps Dore's most remarkable public service was enlisting in the United States Army Medical Corps Reserve at age fifty-nine when their youngest son, Kevin, was deploying to Afghanistan as a Marine. Acing bootcamp in the top twenty percent while in his seventh decade, Dore then deployed as a Lieutenant Colonel and physician to Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan as Brigade Surgeon. He regularly went in convoys to forward operating bases to treat injured soldiers, local nationals as well as enemy combatants. Dore's most precious memory of his time there was a flight and
one-day visit to Camp Leatherneck in the Sangin River Valley to surprise Kevin who was headed home from a seven month combat deployment. The Los Angeles Times and Fox News made this a national story, but that wasn't what was important to Dore or Kevin. Both men came home.

Dore's generosity and response to the needs of others was never limited to formal boards and councils. He was the annual Santa "Dore Claus" for the Hoag Hospital staff for twenty years and for three years volunteered every month at the Hoag Hospital's cancer center "Brighter Days" program for skin care to cancer patients. But most remembered by his family were his and Gloria's kindnesses that were personal and private, recognizing a need and moving quickly to fix it. The day Gloria and Dore arrived to a hospital in western Argentina to help Melissa, who had been hospitalized with serious horseback riding injuries, they noticed her immobilized hospital roommate in a bed next to the window directly in the blazing sun without any reprieve from the heat. They immediately went to the nearest store and bought her a fan. Marty recalls his father's generosity when a Junior All American teammate needed a pair of cleats. Dore checked
his size and quietly brought new cleats to their next practice. When Kevin's wrestling team needed new uniforms, they showed up. Arrangements were made to transport a young Afghani woman to receive treatment in the United States for a disfiguring giant birthmark. Jeff remembers a story that while visiting an Afghani village, Dore helped a child to
obtain treatment for his crippling clubbed feet and then paid for the surgery to correct his ailment so that the child could live an easier life.

Many remember his kind and thoughtful counsel. Patients and friends tell of sage advice. One patient now in her seventies tells a story that when in her thirties, she was struggling with how to raise her two children. Dore told her that, "all I want in life for my children is for them to grow up to be good citizens," (a mission he and Gloria succeeded
in admirably.) His patient now says that she lived by that indelible advice and raised wonderful children she is proud of. Another younger friend tells of a long discussion when he told Dore how his work demanded a lot of travel, and he was missing his kid's activities and growing up. After hearing Dore's wisdom that he will never get that time back, he
reprioritized his life and was able to be more present for his kids. He is forever grateful for an opportunity to change.

For all of this, Dore would have been quick to say that he was not a saint and far from perfect. He made mistakes and was flawed as are we all. He took great pride in his achievements but was quick to credit them to good fortune and timing. He made lame jokes sometimes. Marty tells of him coming every year while he was in elementary school to teach the students about skin health, lessons that they enjoyed. However, year after year, he always ended with the same joke: "Why can't you tell a joke while you are ice skating? Because the ice will crack up." Jake remembers that
Dore hated wasteful electricity use and lights left on. If they came home from a night out and there was one bright lighted window, and it was in their room, they knew that they were well and truly busted. There were some favorite Dad quotes he would say to his children that stuck with them: "You're an idiot, and your parents are probably idiots."
"You're a lot smarter than you look!" "Do the right thing." "Whenever you make a decision, think about how Mom and I would feel about that decision if we were there."

Dore acknowledged and was most grateful for the fortuitous timing and abundant opportunities afforded him by his country, but he grabbed hold of them with indefatigable energy, firm purpose, and applied intelligence. Dore had a set signature for his emails that in many ways exemplified how he lived. "People are always blaming their circumstances
for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them." He continued to live this way until his very last day. Always with a positive attitude and always with a big smile.

A second quote from Dore embodies his deep patriotism and commitment to serve his country. He wrote it to close a blog entry that he posted when he was in Afghanistan and belongs as part of his heritage, "This is serious business, and I am very confident based on the level of professionalism I have seen so far. I doubt there is any other country in the world that could carry on both a war against despicable people and a humanitarian effort to help the less fortunate at the same time. We are building schools, hospitals, infrastructure and partnering with the Afghans in law, professional police forces and an army for self-defense. What a colossal effort. I love my country." Dore received awards and much recognition for his many contributions over his lifetime: Ellis Island Medal of Honor presented annually to those who have shown "an outstanding commitment to serving our nation professionally, culturally, or civically."; Three Army Achievement Medals; and Joint Service Commendation Medal. He had many fine titles in his life: soldier, Professor, Doctor, among them, but the ones most treasured by him were as husband, father, brother
and son. He loved reading to or just goofing around on the floor with his grandchildren, all dignity and gravitas forsaken.

His final words to Gloria before he slipped into his last sleep were, "I love you very much." He would have wanted no greater legacy.

Memorial Service:
Date: October 3, 2021, at 11:00 am.
Location: Laguna Hills High School Stadium, 25401 Paseo de Valencia, Laguna Hills, CA 92653

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a foundation that was near and dear to Dore's heart:
1. Tunnel to Towers Foundation supports not only injured or fallen soldiers and members their families, but also
includes fire fighters and law enforcement. https://t2t.org/
2. Augie's Quest raises the funds and awareness urgently needed to advance cutting-edge research, fast-track
effective treatments, and ultimately, find a cure for ALS https://augiesquest.org/