Hundreds attend funeral for former congressman

MIDDLETOWN – Politicians, friends and family filled Temple Sinai in Middletown on Tuesday to say farewell to a man everyone called a statesman.
Former Congressman Benjamin Gilman died on Saturday, December 17 at age 94.
Among those who attended the Republican lawmaker’s funeral was Democrat Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, who currently holds the seat geographically similar to Gilman’s.
“He was an American hero and a terrific role model for someone like me who is in the early part of a career in Congress,” Maloney said. “There is not a week that goes by that I don’t have somebody come up to me and say, ‘I hope you will be like Ben Gilman’. He was one of the good ones.”
Former Orange County Executive Mary McPhillips said Gilman was loved by everyone.
“He was just so popular, so good to so many people,” McPhillips said. “We are going to miss him. It’s a sad day, but in heaven they are rejoicing. They have somebody who looks out for everybody down here.”
Former County Executive Edward Diana said Gilman epitomized what public service is all about.
“No one ever did it better; no one will ever do it like that again,” Diana said. “Politicians just don’t do that today, but I don’t call him a politician. I call him a friend and a public servant.”
Middletown Mayor Joseph DeStefano knew Gilman for a great many years as well.
“I remember him everywhere,” DeStefano said. “He was just a magnificent man, the type of politics that seems to be lost in Washington nowadays. He was a gracious winner and a great public servant.”
Following the funeral, Gilman was laid to rest at West Point Cemetery at the US Military Academy.