WEST BETHEL – Arthur Robert Gilbert, 88, of West Bethel, died at Ledgeview Living Center on Wednesday, April 6.

He was born in West Bethel, on Dec. 31, 1916, the son of Robert Arthur and Lona (McLellan) Gilbert, attended Bethel schools and graduated from Gould Academy, Class of 1935.

He was an Army veteran of World War II, having served with the 363rd Engineer SS Regiment with the Persian Gulf Command. He married Ruth Walker on Aug. 12, 1945. He was postmaster in West Bethel from 1969 to 1978. He was also a member of the West Bethel Union Church, Locke Mills Fish and Game Club, Pleasant Valley Grange, had been a selectman for the town of Bethel from 1986 to 1995 and served on the Board of Assessors. He received the Bethel area Chamber of Commerce Senior Citizen Award in 1992 and the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce Citizenship award in 1982.

He enjoyed painting pictures and making stained glass lights, carpentry, hunting, fishing, tying flies and gardening. He was especially fond of spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years of West Bethel; three daughters, Sheila Head of West Bethel, Rowena Stowell and her husband, Jonathan, of Shirley, Mass., and Roberta Norton and her husband, Kevin, of Madrid; one brother, Shirley Gilbert and his wife, Marilyn, of West Bethel; two sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Gilbert of West Bethel and Elizabeth Gilbert of Bethel; five grandchildren, Jane Rottari and her husband, Robert, of New Gloucester, Marietta Chiras and her husband, Richard, of Northbridge, Mass., Melanie Stowell of Bedford, N.H., Nathan Stowell of Shirley, Mass., and Casandra Perez of Madrid and Savannah Ga.; and three great-grandchildren, Leah Rottari, Olivia Rottari and Josiah Rottari, all of New Gloucester.

He was predeceased by three brothers, Keith, Randall and George.

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