Gilman was born on March 5, 1945, in Fort Kent, Maine, the fifth of ten children, to Joseph and Egline (Bernier) Michaud. He learned the value of hard work at a very young age, developing a work ethic that stayed with him throughout his life.
After high school, Gilman moved to Connecticut where he married his high school sweetheart, Betty Rioux, on July 3, 1965. In 1972, his work brought the family back to Southern Maine. Family was at the center of Gilman’s life. He was a quiet man who showed his love through his actions, by working hard and taking care of the people he loved.
Gilman was entrepreneurial by nature, owning several businesses and investing in real estate over the years. He eventually owned and operated Panther Run Marina with Betty, his son Phil and daughter-in-law Julie.
Gilman loved boating on Sebago Lake, summers at camp on Moosehead Lake and winters on Portage Lake snowmobiling with Phil and their many friends. He enjoyed fishing trips to Caucomgomoc Lake and was known for his cooking at camp and for tipping over the canoe.
During his final year at Legacy Memory Care, Gilman endeared himself to the staff with his smile, kindness and willingness to help. It was heartwarming to see that even as Alzheimer’s changed so much, his kind and gentle nature remained.
Gilman is survived by his wife of 61 years, Betty; his daughter, Jodi Federle; his daughter-in-law, Julie (Cox) Michaud; his granddaughters, Alicia Michaud and her husband, Kyle Dickinson, and Marissa Larson and her husband, Brady; his grandchildren, Lee and Quinn Federle; his siblings, Mildred, Joel, Frieda, Clifford and Judy; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his son Phil in 2025 and his brothers Benton, Harold, Milton and Lester.
Gilman’s family extends a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Legacy Memory Care and Gentiva Hospice for their compassion, kindness and dedication to Gilman’s care and quality of life.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Martyrs Church in Falmouth.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Gilman’s memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Disease Research, a program of the BrightFocus Foundation.
Alzheimer’s Disease Research
BrightFocus Foundation
22512 Gateway Center Drive
Clarksburg, MD 20871
