Robert "Bob" M. Gilbert

Robert "Bob" Gilbert of Franconia, NH passed away peacefully on April 28th, 2025. He was 95 years young.

A native of Wellesley, MA, Robert began his lifetime of service to his country and community early. As a young Army National Guard Medic, he excelled, completing arduous duty during the Korean War at Tripler Medical Center in Honolulu, HI—and perhaps he mentioned how much he enjoyed his time in Paradise once or twice over the years. After his military service, he joined the Wellesley Fire Department and continued his involvement with firefighting throughout his life, serving as an investigator with the NH Fire Marshall’s office, as well as being actively involved in the volunteer fire departments in Franconia and Sugar Hill, NH for many years into “retirement.” While with the Fire Marshall’s office, he met the love of his life at the coffee counter of the Dutch Treat Restaurant in Franconia, and to the “North Country” he came!

A fixture in North Country emergency services for decades, Bob served as a Grafton County Police and Fire dispatcher for many years. After his “retirement” from Grafton, he continued to bring his experience to bear, dispatching for the New Hampshire State Police - Troop F, Lincoln Police Department, and Department of Transportation in Lancaster.

Bob was forever young. He loved his family and friends, and he loved life. He was never happier than when he was maple sugaring up at the farm, meeting at the local “command post” to solve the world’s problems with his fellow coffee “geezers,” or holding forth on important educational topics with his grandchildren at “Papa’s School of Much Higher Learning.” He was excited to see you, happy to spend time with you, and sad to see you go—and you were sorry to have to leave him. His positive energy was infectious, and we’ll miss him.

Bob leaves his wife of 60 years, Mary Ellen, his daughter, Judy Childs, her husband, James, and their children, Christopher and Thomas, as well as his son, Michael, his wife Ellen, and their children, Jenna and Jameson. While Bob loved his whole family, he was especially excited to have 4 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren, who loved him and recognized that there can only be one “Papa.”

In lieu of flowers, and in the spirit of Bob’s service to his many communities, a donation can be made to your favorite charity.