Obituary of Paul B. Gilman

Paul B. Gilman, Jr. was born November 21, 1929 in Havana, Cuba and died December 24, 2018. Paul was a generous and loving husband and father, who will be greatly missed.  He is predeceased by: parents, Paul B. Gilman, Sr. and Esther M. Conrod, brother-in-law David Wones, nieces Kristen and Dorothea Delaney and great-granddaughter Celia Furman. He is survived by his college sweet heart and wife of 66 years Mary Shea Gilman, children: Mary L., Jeanne (Joseph Peters), James (Lisa Peterson), Scott (Michele Flanagan) Gilman, grandchildren: Jennifer (Greg O’Rourke), Peter, Ciara, Shannon, Shea Gilman, Patrick Furman, and Luke Peters and great-grand children: Katharine, Gabby, Cynthia, Violette, Patrick, Jr. and Kazhal Furman, Gwynn, Riley, and Ellie O’Rourke, and Bentley Gilman, sister, Connie G. Wones of Potomac, MD. in laws: Marge (Shea) Robert Delaney of Oklahoma, OK., Cathy (Shea) and Richard LaPointe of Magnolia, MA. many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Dr. Gilman was a Boy Scout and won the Outstanding Athlete Award at Ayer High School in 1947. He received his BS in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts in 1951, M.S. in chemistry from Northeastern University in 1953 and Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Rutgers University in 1956.

Dr. Gilman was with Eastman Kodak’s Research Laboratories from 1956 to 1989 where he was a Senior Research Associate in the Photo Science Research Division. His major research interest was in the field of light-sensitive systems and the mechanism of spectral sensitive phenomena. He is the author or joint author of more than 40 U.S. Patents and 26 publications covering various aspects of photograph science. Dr. Gilman Co-chaired the International Congress of Photographic Science in 1978 held in Rochester, N.Y. and the East-West symposia on Photography in Hawaii held in 1984 and 1988.

He received numerous national and international photographic science awards during his 50 plus years career. Dr. Gilman was made a fellow of SPSE in 1973 and a senior member in 1985. He received the SPSE Journal award for the best photographic science paper in 1977.  In 1984 Dr. Gilman was the recipient of the C.E.K. Mees Award for Scientific Merit for the best photographic science paper published in Photographic Science and Engineering Kodak Research Laboratories. He was made an Honorary Member of the Society of Photographic Science and Technology in Japan in 1986. Dr. Gilman received the Lieven-Gevart Medal in 1987.  He received the Society of Photographic Science and Engineering award for Outstanding Achievement in Silver Halide Photography in 1987. The International Committee for Imaging Science awarded him the The Chibisov Prize for his distinguished contributions to the physics and chemistry of silver halide crystals in photography and the technology of silver halide materials.

According to the Scientific Citation Index over 500 references were made to his work up to 1987.  In 1989 he was awarded the “Kulturpreis der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Photography e. V.” by the Federal Republic of Germany on the 150^th anniversary of photography.

From 1990 through 1992 he served as a technical consultant to the Kodak Research Laboratories in the field of spectral sensitization and collaborated on special projects for hard copy color applications. In 1997 Dr. Gilman was enrolled in the The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain as an Honorary Fellow. That same year, he was recognized by the Society for Imaging Science and Technology (IS&T) for his contributions in the field of spectral sensitization of silver halide and his untiring leadership in the international community of imaging scientists.

Paul and Mary enjoyed traveling to Ireland, England, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Russia and Japan and through out the U.S.  He freely utilized family members as models or test subjects for various experimental Kodak films, development, film verses digital evolution, and color values. Paul was the technical precise photographer while his wife possessed the artistic style. Luckily, the children inherited both and developed as creative technically proficient photographers.  

Paul and Mary delighted in attending their children’s and later the grandchildren’s sporting and school activities. He and his sons were part of the volunteer crew that helped build the Penfield Little League fields in 1966. Paul coached Jim’s and Scott’s Penfield Little League Baseball teams and later grandson, Peter’s teams. Paul was a Boston Red Sox fan and told stories of witnessing Ted Williams play and enjoyed trips to see Yaz at Fenway.

Donation can be made to the Penfield Ambulance or Penfield Little League.

There will be no calling hours. Paul’s funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:00AM Holy Spirit Church, 1355 Hatch Rd., at Plank. Internment will take place at White Haven Memorial Park