Gilbert Hall Hyroop

Gilbert Hall Hyroop, age 93, passed away peacefully on June 8, 2026, just a few weeks shy of his 94th birthday. Born on July 11, 1932, Gilbert lived a long, remarkable life defined by honor, entrepreneurship, an unquenchable thirst for life, and a deep devotion to his faith and family.

A proud veteran of the Korean War, Gilbert served his country in the United States Air Force while stationed in Germany. Following his service, he graduated from the University of Oklahoma and later earned his MBA. His outgoing personality and innovativeness led him to entrepreneurism, first founding King Size Clothes which later rebranded as Hyroop’s The Big & Tall Place and expanded to multiple locations across Oklahoma, Texas, and Georgia. Later in life, he brought his signature warmth to the real estate world as a Realtor and Broker for Metro Mark. Gilbert was naturally hands-on and creative; he loved to build and tinker with anything that needed to be fixed or made better, a trait that served him well both in business and at home.

But Gilbert was so much more than his career. He was a man of deep faith who loved God and was fiercely devoted to his Bible studies and multiple weekly coffee groups. He fundamentally loved people, never met a stranger, and was always eager to hear someone’s story or share one of his own. A passionate student of history and politics, Gilbert used the past to analyze the present – a philosophy he lovingly forced upon his three daughters, who were required to watch and discuss every single State of the Union address. He loved his three daughters dearly.

Above all, Gilbert was fun. He loved to have a good time, travel, sail, and be near the water. A true sunworshipper, even in his 80s you could find him sunbathing shirt-off in the garden area of assisted living or memory care, staying loyal to his Jergens self-tanning lotion until just the last few years. He loved to joke and brought immense joy to his family and friends. Gilbert loved life so fiercely that he fought to stay until the very end, driven by a lifelong case of FOMO – he simply didn’t want to miss a single moment of the fun.

Gilbert is now reunited with his beloved wife, Mary Lou; his brother, Craig Hyroop; his son-in-law, Steve Zrenda, his parents, Drs. Muriel and Gilbert Hyroop and his friend and ex-wife, Allyne Sharpe.

His incredible legacy lives on through his three devoted daughters, Lea Zrenda, Ann Garland, and Kim (and husband Joe) Hodges; his grandchildren, Justin(and wife Stephanie) Grisham, Jamie (and husband Tim) Bleything, Brittany Garland, Bailey Garland, Michael (and wife Kristen) Hodges, and Alex (and husband Harrison) Fugman; and his great-grandchildren, Sawyer and Sadie Bleything, Kimmy Garland, Henry Hodges, and Tate and Rocky Fugman, nephews Tad Hyroop and Marc Goode (wife Rachel) and nieces Barbara Wilks (husband Paul) and Jonna Cassil (husband Ken) and son Jackson Cassil, and a world made much brighter by his 93 years in it. He will be dearly missed!