Jetta Faye Gilbert (nee Bush)

Jetta Faye Gilbert, née Bush, age 75, of Cleveland, Ohio, passed away on October 22, 2025 in Mayfield, Heights, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Born on May 5, 1950 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Jetta a.k.a “Jet”, grew from an accomplished student at Riverside High School, class of 1968, into an extraordinary woman whose resourcefulness, warmth, and intellect enriched every life she touched.

Jetta began her professional journey as a telephone operator at Bell South in Chattanooga, demonstrating a strong work ethic that would define her career. In 1979 she married Herman Gilbert. And they had their first daughter one year afterwards. In 1982, they embarked on bold new chapters, first in

New Jersey where Jetta was a manager of a jewelry store in Philadelphia with her husband, then in Cleveland, expanding their family and their future. While in Cleveland, Jetta and Herman grew their family with two more daughters, and she had a brief career in photography, which turned into a lifelong hobby. In

1989, Jetta joined Cleveland Clinic, with nearly thirty years of impeccable service as a paging operator, and then a billing analyst before retiring in 2012. After retiring, Jetta began a hobby in ceramics, creating and painting artwork.

Family always stood at the center of Jetta’s world. She and Herman raised three wonderful daughters, and Jetta’s unwavering support as a mother, whether attending school concerts and dance recitals, taking her daughters on frequent trips to the library, caring for her children through illnesses, teaching family recipes and guiding cooking sessions, or modeling a healthy lifestyle, gave them the confidence and tools to grow and flourish into sophisticated, strong, and intelligent women. Her home was a haven of mouth‑watering aromas: savory dinners, perfectly seasoned Southern and international staples, and desserts that everyone in the family loved. She and Herman took their daughters on numerous family road trips, which included visiting family in Chattanooga, and various places in the U.S., instilling an adventurous spirit in their children. Jetta’s camera was never far from reach, capturing landscapes and laughter alike; her photographs, like her ceramics, remain joyful artifacts of a creative spirit. 

Jetta is preceded in death by her parents, Billie Anne Darby Bush and Robert Homer Bush Jr.; her daughter, Naana Afia Gilbert, her sister, Barbara Joy (Robert) Farris; and her brother, Robert Homer Bush III. She leaves behind her devoted husband of forty‑six years, Herman T. Gilbert; brother, William (Doris) Bush; sister, Mable Marie (Clifton) Willingham; sister-in-law, Gwyndon Bush, two daughters; Tabia (DeJuan) Gilbert; Ugoma Akama (Russell) Smoke, who will forever carry her lessons and love; hergrandson, Sequoyah Nkosi Smoke whom she loved dearly, and a host of extended family members and friends who will continue to feel the light of her influence.

In accordance with her wishes, Jetta will be cremated and will be interred in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga, TN. A celebration of Jetta’s life will be arranged at a later date, with details to be shared with loved ones. The family invites those wishing to honor her memory to cook a favorite family recipe, embark on a spontaneous road trip, or simply pick up a camera to capture a beautiful moment, each a fitting tribute to a life lived with energy, generosity, and boundless curiosity