Robert H. Gilman

Robert Howard Gilman of East Syracuse, NY, age 83, passed away on July 5, 2019 after a short illness. He is survived by his wife, Trang Thu “Thu Dien” Tran, his son Charles and daughter-in-law Wendy Gilman, stepdaughters Linh and Y “Annie” Lam, grandchildren Gregory and Marguerite Gilman, sister-in-law Juanita Gilman, nephews Thomas Gilman, Howard Gilman, and Robert Gilman, and several great-nieces and nephews. A son of the late Howard and Marie (Smith) Gilman, he was predeceased by his first wife, Elizabeth (Powers) Gilman and his siblings Thomas Gilman and Glenda (Gilman) Spires.

Born in Lewiston, Maine, Bob was a graduate of the University of Maine at Orono and worked for many years as a heating, ventilation and air conditioning engineer for firms including Carrier and Bristol-Myers. He was a member and officer of ASHRAE and a member of the Syracuse Pistol Club. Since his retirement in the late 1980s, Bob spent many happy years working with Literacy Volunteers, where he received awards for his tutoring "English as a Second Language", square dancing, decorative painting, and traveling,  including several trips to Vietnam.

Growing up during hard times in a Maine textile mill town, Bob lived a frugal life: "Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without." Like many of his fellow Mainers, he had a unique and dry sense of humor and loved to tell stories. He enjoyed helping people; the more complex the task, the better. Whether it was going through old and broken computers looking for parts that could be used to provide working computers to rural schools in New Mexico or helping his friends and students decipher difficult tax and financial issues, Bob was always willing to lend a hand. He will be missed dearly by those who knew and loved him.

A graveside service will be held in East Millinocket, Maine at a future date.

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