Gilbert M. King

ATHOL - Gilbert M King, Jr., 75 of Athol, formerly of Petersham and North Kingston, RI died Friday, September 11, 2015 at home. He was born in Ware, on May 29, 1940, the son of the late Gilbert M and the late Myrtle E (LePoer) King. He grew up in Petersham and graduated from Ralph C. Mahar High School in 1960. He was a U.S. Navy Sea Bee serving 2 tours in Vietnam. He attended Rhode Island Junior College along with classes at the Central Massachusetts Emergency Medical Systems Corporation, Massachusetts Forest Control, Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and the Franklin County Home Care Corporation. Gil was a firefighter for 58 years, 21 years in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, retiring as Deputy Fire Chief. He was the Deputy Chief of the Petersham Fire Department, Forest Warden, and Sexton and Veteran’s Graves Officer. He also worked for the Edwin Anderson Garage and Auto Body Shop in Petersham for many years, did auto body work for Coolidge Motors, worked part-time for a building and electrical contractor in Rhode Island as well as working for 23 years at Pete's Tire Barn. He was a member of the Worcester West Forest Fires Warden Association, N.E. Fire Apparatus Association, the Rhode Island Certified Vehicle Inspectors, the North Kingstown Firefighters Retiree’s Association. In the Town of Petersham he was a member of the Bandstand Renovation and Maintenance Committee, the Emergency Management Ambulance Committee, Sexton of the Cemetery Commission, the ADA Improvement Advisory Committee, the Council on Aging Committee, and FEMA. He enjoyed antique cars and fire trucks and tractors and he enjoyed time spent on his tractor/mower. He loved traveling especially his cruise through the Panama Canal. In May of 2009, he received the Petersham Grange “2009 Citizen Award” for a lifetime of fire prevention and many other good works of citizenship. He leaves his wife of 55 years: Linda G. (Waid) King; one daughter: Sheri L West and her husband Daniel of Winston-Salem, NC; one sister: Ellen Stowers and her husband Joseph of Derry, NH; one brother: Earle W. King and his wife Nancy of Orange; many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother Raymond F. King and a niece Jennifer Stowers. Funeral services will be held Monday, September 14, 2015 at 1:00 pm in the Fiske-Murphy & Mack Funeral Home, 110 New Athol Road, Orange. Burial will follow in East Street Cemetery. Calling hours will be held Sunday from 3-5 pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made in his memory to Petersham Fire Fighters Antiques Restoration Fund, C/O Rebecca Legare, 140 North Main St., Petersham, MA 01366. Or GVNA Hospice, 34 Pearly Lane, Gardner, MA 01440.