Gilbert Hartmann LaPiere Was a Brave Pilot Became Cher’s Caring Stepfather

World War II veteran and former oil businessman Gilbert Hartmann LaPiere had a very generous heart, uplifting people in the oil industry and, most importantly, shepherding his stepdaughters as if they were his own.

Gilbert Hartmann LaPiere was a pilot from Oaklahoma city. In 1962, Gilbert married Arkensas-born actress Georgina Holt. They remained together for the better part of two years. Georgina had already been married before their union and had two daughters.

Her daughters inherited their stepfather’s last name. He was Georgina’s fifth husband and remarried the actress in the late 90s, many years after their first divorce in the mid-60s.

Gilbert Was a Pilot during World War II

Gilbert was the son of Tillie and Albert LaPiere. He was born in Irvington, New Jersey, on June 29, 1923. He spent his youth attending a Newark, New Jersey, school. He earned an Eagle Scout rank in grade school and maintained a high level of involvement in athletics throughout his schooling years.

The Eagle Scout had to pause his college studies for over two years to fight for his country in World War II. In his deployment, he achieved thirty-five missions, including when he had to eject himself from his ocean-bound aircraft after a bombing mission. The years he spent in the army did not stop his eventual graduation.

Employment at City Service Oil Co. in Oaklahoma followed his time in college. After working for City Service Oil, he was employed at Chase Bank in his home state, New York. Working in the same position at Chase Bank, he learned the ropes of the oil business.

American fighter pilot volunteers on March 18, 1941, in Lincolnshire, England. | Source: Getty Images

Gilbert LaPiere Was a Caring Stepfather to Cher

When Gilbert married Georgia on December 8, 1962, it was her fifth marriage in seventeen years. They divorced in 1964, but in their first attempt at commitment to each other, the girls changed their last names to LaPiere. Gilbert was highly invested in his stepdaughters.

He enrolled Cher, who did not see eye-to-eye with her biological father, into a private school. When Cher was 16, she was involved with “Reds” star Warren Beaty, who was much older. After a night out with the actor, Cher arrived home to a distraught Gilbert, adverse to her mother, who Warren softened up over a phone call.

Warren eventually learned about her young age; however, Cher was apologetic about not informing him and strangely about him finding out. Gilbert’s marriage with Cher’s mother resumed on July 17, 1997, but the couple divorced again. In 2012, Gilbert passed away, but his stepdaughter continued to go by his name, LaPiere.

Cher and Georgianne LaPierre at Richie Sambora’s “Stranger in This Town” Album Release Party in Griffith Park, LA, California on September 4, 1991. | Source: Getty Images

Gilbert’s Life after His Divorce from Georgia Holt

After his first marriage with Georgia, Gilbert wasted no time and married his second wife, Beverly Lorraine Foster LaPiere, born on October 31, 1928, in LA. Their union lasted for an impressive thirty-four years. Gilbert continued his progressive work in the oil industry while married to Lorraine, providing opportunities for other business people along the way.

Gilbert spent some of the best years of his life with Beverly, playing golf and cruising along the Atlantic. The pair developed great friendships with people they met at the mountain home they bought in North Carolina, particularly those with the Moore family. In 1997, Beverly died, and Gilbert, aged 74, remarried Georgia.

Beverly left behind a daughter, Diana Spahn; a sister, Evelyn Soucie; and brothers, Jack Foster and Gale Foster. Gilbert’s daughter, Verna Bullock, lost her life to COVID-19. It is reported that she visited the hospital with concerns about her blood pressure and fatally contracted the coronavirus.

The exact date of Gilbert’s second divorce from Georgia is unknown. He died in 2012, 10 years before Georgia Holt. Gilbert lived a whole life that is celebrated by many. His stepdaughters continue to carry his name, including the famous singer Cher.

The World War II pilot was revered by many. The World War II veteran was dubbed a generous person, and his loving nature will be remembered by those who knew him.

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