Donald A. Gilbert

DONALD A. GILBERT , age 63, of 21 Lewis Street, Dryden, NY passed away, Monday, June 11, 2012 at the Cayuga Medical Center after a lengthy illness. Don was born Feb. 7, 1949 in Cortland, NY, a son of the late Lawrence and Elizabeth Overbaugh Gilbert.

Don was a 1967 graduate of Dryden High School and served in the US Navy SeaBees (1967-1969) in Vietnam and continued in the Naval Reserves until 1992. After returning from Vietnam he was employed at the Town of Dryden as an equipment operator and worked his way up to be Highway Superintendent, serving until retirement in 1999. Don was a member and had held every office, including serving as Fire Chief and Fire Police Captain, of the Dryden Fire Dept. , a member and Past Secretary of the Neptune Hose Co. No. 1 of Dryden, a member of the Leonard T. Spaulding Post 1134, American Legion and a white hat life member and Past Commander Dryden Township Post 8158, Veterans of Foreign Wars. Don served on the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home Ritual Team for many years. He was also a member of the New York State Association of Highway Superintendents and was a member and a Past Secretary/Treasurer of the Tompkins County Highway Association. Don was a member and a Past Trustee of the Dryden United Methodist Church and served his community in many additional ways including being a dog warden, a Bingo Inspector and an EMT, a youth football coach and a good neighbor.

Survivors include his wife, Susan Reif Gilbert of Dryden, his sons, Timothy (Sarah Gates) of Ithaca, Fred (Jessica) Gilbert of Fort Knox, KY, Joshua (Christina Vincent) of Savannah, GA; a brother, James (Ria) Gilbert of Fort Collins, CO; grandchildren, Zachary, Xander, Nathan, Arianna and Lilianna Gilbert; nieces, nephews and cousins and many extended family members.

Memorial services will be held at 12 PM, Thursday, June 14, 2012 at the Perkins Funeral Home with Rev. Richard Sivers officiating. Burial with Military Honors provided by members of the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home Ritual Team will follow in Willow Glen Cemetery, Dryden. Friends are invited to call from 10 AM to 12 Pm Thursday at the funeral home, 55 West Main Street, Dryden, NY. Friends are asked to consider a memorial, in lieu of flowers, to the Dryden Fire Dept., P.O. Box 397, Dryden, NY or the DVMH Ritual Team, 2272 Dryden Rd., Dryden, NY 13053. www.perkinsfuneralhome.com