He was a son of the late John and Arlinda (Camara) Mello; father of Scott Mello (Ret. Asst. Chief P.F.D.) and his wife Robin, Sandra Russo and her husband Paul, Donna Mello, Susan Sheehan and her husband Richard, and Darlene DaSilva; grandfather of Andrew and Ashley Mello, Ryan and Casey Sheehan, and Chelsey DaSilva; brother of the late John, Joseph, Armand and Daniel Mello, Laura Costa, Irene Francis, Anna Bosco and Lucille Najas. He also leaves several nieces and nephews.
Gilbert was a foreman for 33 years for the American Insulated Wire Co., was a senior maintenance man at CCRI in Lincoln for 10 years and a licensed electrician. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a recipient of the Purple Heart.
Visitation will be held Wednesday 4-7 p.m. with his funeral on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. from the PONTARELLI-MARINO Home, 971 Branch Avenue, Providence. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. in Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 21 Traverse Street, Providence. Burial with military honors will follow in the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Exeter. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tomorrow Fund, Rhode Island Hospital Campus, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903.