Soldier killed in Afghanistan is remembered at South Pasadena church

Army Spec. William Gilbert never met his newborn daughter Mikala, but there she was on Wednesday, as her father’s casket was brought inside Holy Family Church.

Born just eight days after Gilbert, 24, was killed in Sanjaray, Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device, Mikala was there in her mother’s arms as a crowd of people gathered outside the South Pasadena church to remember the soldier who was described as a “gentle giant.”

PHOTOS: Funeral services for U.S. Army Spc. William Joseph Gilbert

Sgt. 1st-class Jeffrey Baker, 29, of Hesperia in San Bernardino County was also killed in the May 14 attack.

Streets were shut down in South Pasadena Wednesday as Gilbert’s motorcade arrived at Holy Family Church in the 1500 block of Fremont Avenue.

Frank Ponnet, director of liturgy for the church, said Gilbert’s wife, Monica, gave birth to Mikala eight days after her husband was killed overseas.

The Army specialist had been expecting to return home for a visit late last week, Ponnet added.

Gilbert and his family attended Holy Family Church for at least 15 years, Ponnet said, even after moving from the area to Hacienda Heights following the death of his father several years ago.

“Willie got confirmed [in the Catholic Church] here, and he had worked during high school as a volunteer in our video ministry, where we videotape the mass on Sunday,” Ponnet said. “He was kind of a gentle giant — a big guy, but always with a big smile on his face.”

He also attended Mayfield Junior School, a K-8 Catholic school in Pasadena, before leaving the area, Ponnet added.

Gilbert enlisted in August 2010 and was on his first combat tour. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, from Fort Bliss, Texas, according to an L.A. Times database.

Gov. Jerry Brown, who ordered the state capitol’s flag lowered to half staff on May 24, issued a statement expressing condolences to Gilbert’s family, saying the Army specialist “bravely gave his life in service to our state and nation.”

[Updated 3:10 p.m. May 29: This post was updated to include information about Gilbert’s family and input from Frank Ponnet.]

Los Angeles Times staff writer Tony Perry contributed to this report.

-- Jason Wells and Joe Piasecki, jason.wells@latimes.com

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