Funeral Services Set For Hudson Valley Congressman

A Hudson Valley Congressman is scheduled to be laid to rest Tuesday morning.

Former Congressman Ben Gilman died on Saturday morning at the age of 94. His funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday at Temple Sinai in Middletown. Burial will follow at West Point Cemetery at the United States Military Academy.

Gilman served under seven presidents during a 30-year term that lasted from 1973 until 2003. He was born in Poughkeepsie in 1922. He spent most of his life in Middletown, including graduating from Middletown High School. The Republican was widely known in the Hudson Valley for his community involvement.

Gilman served in the Army during World War II. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal for 35 missions over Japan.

Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus ordered that flags at all county buildings be flown at half-staff on Tuesday.

“I had the pleasure of knowing Congressman Gilman for several years,” Neuhaus stated. “He was a true gentleman and took pride in serving our residents for so many years. Congressman Gilman epitomizes how elected officials should conduct themselves and treat others. He was a class act and is responsible for mentoring and shaping many of today’s leaders in Orange County and beyond. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Gilman is survived by his wife, Georgia, and three children.