Obituary of John Gilmartin

ILION – John Gilmartin, age 93, of Ilion, passed away peacefully, on Thursday, May 23, 2019.

He was born on February 8, 1926, in Oneonta, NY and moved with his late parents, George E. and Marie Starring Gilmartin to Ilion when he was six months old.  He graduated from Ilion High School in 1943, President of his class.  He attended Siena College for one year before entering service in the U.S. Navy, in June 1944.  He served aboard the USS Benevolence in the Pacific until reaching Tokyo Bay, where this hospital ship rescued and treated American prisoners of war.  He was transferred to the USS New Jersey to become part of the Occupational and Surrender forces of Japan and was honorably discharged in June 1949.  Upon his return he graduated from Siena College.

He married Jane Cronin, in Brant Lake, NY, in September, 1952 and that blessed union of 36 years ended with her early death, after battling cancer, in 1988.  Together they were the proud parents of John Jr., Mary, Margaret and James.  Love of family dominated their life together.

John’s occupation in Laboratory Animal Research led him to become Director of Laboratory Animal Medicine, at Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine until his retirement in 1990.  He was Vice President of Marmotech Corp. from 1990 – 1997.

He was a Charter Member and President of the Upstate NY Branch of AALAS (American Association of Laboratory Animal Science) and a Trustee of the National Association of AALAS.  During his career he was Author or Co-Author of several scientific publications.

John returned to Ilion, in 1996 and served as Mayor of Ilion from 2002 – 2006.  His home parish in Ilion was always the Church of the Annunciation where he was active in his youth as an altar boy and in later years, served on several committees and as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister.

In May 2012, John and Jane Collins Carter were married at Annunciation Church following the death of her husband, Jack, in 2008.  Jack, Jane and John had been life-long friends and the two families had close relationships.  The new couple decided to “grow old together, the best is yet to be”.

He is survived by his wife, Jane; his children, John Jr. and his wife, Stacey, Mary Musumeci, Margaret Kingsley and her husband, Les and James with his husband, Colin; nine beloved grandchildren, Courtney, Grace, Alex and Ted, Megan, Matthew, George, Sage and Aria; his “Uncle John”; nieces and nephews, Tom and David Morris, Susan Foltz, Michael and Greg Gilmartin, and Ann Mudgett; his “Uncle Gil”; nieces and nephews, Maureen Cronin Rossley and Michael and Pat Cronin; one brother-in-law, James Cronin, and his wife, Mary and family, Mark, Laurie, Tim, Claire and Bill; and 23 grand-nieces and nephews; the Carter family, John and his wife, Susan, Tim and his wife, Kathleen, Nancy Manion and her husband, Bob, Mary Toot and her husband, Walt and Matthew and his wife, Masako; and special friends Dr. Ed and Judy Casey.

John was pre-deceased by his father, George E. Gilmartin and his wife, Marie (Starring) Gilmartin; his sister, Mary Morris and her husband, Tom; his brother, George Gilmartin and his wife, Eleanor (Bickhart); and his brother, Gerald Gilmartin and his wives, Nancy (Burnham) and Helen (Matchett).

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2019, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Applegate-Day & Enea Family Funeral Home’s original location, at 102 West St., Ilion.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019, at 10 a.m., at the Church of the Annunciation, West St., Ilion, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Anthony Barratt. Burial will be at Brant Lake Cemetery, following the Mass.

Anyone wishing to share a memory of John, or add to his online memorial, may go to www.applegateandday.com.

In lieu of flowers, as an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be made to “The Gilmartin Scholarship Fund”, Central Valley Academy, 111 Frederick St., Ilion, NY 13357.  Envelopes are also available at the funeral home.

The Gilmartin family has entrusted John’s service arrangements and supervision to their Family Funeral Director, Don Applegate.