BROOKTON – John H. Gilman Jr., loving and devoted husband for 40 years to Jessie (Kinney-Martins) Gilman, went home to be with the Lord after a long battle with cancer. He died Aug. 5, 2007, surrounded by his family at home. He was born Oct. 17, 1930, in Brookton, the son of John Gilman Sr. and Mavis (Nason) Gilman. Johnny was a dedicated member of Brookton Pentecostal Church, where he served as a board member, deacon and treasurer for 29 years. He also served on the board of directors at Teen Challenge of Maine for 10 years. Johnny retired from the Department of Transportation, Highway Division, State of Maine, as foreman, Jan. 30, 1990, after 29 years of service. After this, he was employed for 16 years by Colin Bartlett, as a heavy equipment operator. Friends and loved ones will miss Johnny’s great sense of humor. Kids at church will miss the candy treats he always had in his pockets. His employer will miss a faithful, diligent employee, who loved operating equipment and building and maintaining roads. His church will miss a spiritual pillar. His family will miss a wonderful, loving man, steady as a rock, who always gave them his very best. Johnny was predeceased by a son, Sidney; his first wife and the mother of his children, Karleen (Kinney) Gilman. He is survived by three sons, John and his wife, Mabel, of Lebanon, Tenn., Bruce and his wife, Donna, of Brookton and Gerald of Brookton; a daughter, Mavis Martinez and her husband, George, of Ojai, Calif.; three stepdaughters, Carolyn Couture and her companion, Herbert Frost, of Monmouth, Joan Richardson and her husband, Paul, of Conway, N.H., and Barbara Godley and her husband, Frank, of Brookton; two sisters, Norma Melanson of Bradley and Genevieve “Gene” and her husband, Paul Gilpatrick, of Weston; one aunt, Edith Jones of Brookton; 15 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Friends may call 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, at Clay Funeral Home-Bartlett Chapel, 24 Houlton Road, Danforth. Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday at Danforth Pentecostal Church with the Rev. Frank Godley officiating. Interment will be at Eaton Cemetery. The family welcomes friends to a gathering at Brookton Forest City Community Center afterwards. In lieu of flowers, donations in Johnny’s memory may be made to Brookton Pentecostal Church. For an online register book, please visit www.clayfuneralhome.com
JOHN H. GILMAN JR.
