Gilbert Thornton Cave

Longtime Leroy Township resident, and former Lake County Municipal Court Judge, Gilbert Cave passed away peacefully in his sleep earlier this month. Gilbert was born on November 21, 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Mary and Raymond Cave. He grew up a city kid on Strathmore Ave. in East Cleveland. His father managed the local A & P Grocery store. A chance encounter as a child with Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller at his neighborhood playground made Gil a lifelong Indians fan. Always a good student, he worked himself through John Carroll University and the Cleveland Marshall School of Law. He met his wife Kathleen Radcliffe at the Newman Center at Ohio State while he was taking additional courses.

In 1960, he and Kathleen moved to Lake County, where they became active in trying to make their new community a better place. Gil established a private law practice in downtown Painesville, earning a reputation for integrity and hard work. He was sought out by local leaders to run for the position of Lake County Municipal Judge, a job he held from 1976 to 1988. His judgment on the bench was informed by his own strong moral principles, a deep understanding of the law, and a thoughtful consideration for the complex struggle inherent in individual lives. He was an important mentor to current Municipal Court Judge Michael Cicconetti, who served as his clerk of courts from 1976-1981.

In 1971 he bought land in Leroy Township and built a home for his family. The land was a source of joy for Gil for the rest of his life. He raised livestock, planted and harvested Christmas trees, tapped maple trees for making syrup, and always had a large vegetable garden. Later in life, when this work was too much for him, he kept a garden on the back deck of the house and fed the birds from a feeder attached to the windowsill.

He loved nature. He was a longtime volunteer for the Buckeye Trail Association and enjoyed taking long walks in the Lake Metro Parks, most notably the Girdled Road Reservation. He had an intense curiosity about many subjects and enjoyed astronomy, local history, and ham radio. For a number of years, he taught a law class at Lakeland Community College and enjoyed writing for legal and history periodicals.

He was deeply devoted to his Catholic faith. During the communist era he travelled to the Soviet Union and was impressed with those who struggled to practice their faith. For many years after the fall of the Soviet Union, he made regular donations to catholic missionary work being done in Vladivostok, helping religious life to take root again in Eastern Russia.

Gilbert was preceded in death by his beautiful wife, Kathleen, and his sisters Marilyn and Elaine. He is survived by his children Terri and Mark.
Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 28, 2019 at St. Patrick’s Church, 16550 Rock Creek Rd. in Thompson, Ohio 44086. Donations on his behalf can be made to LakeMetroParks http://www.lakemetroparks.com/get-involved/donate

Arrangements entrusted to the Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 116 South Street, Chardon, Ohio 44024. Information and condolences on-line at www.burrservice.com.