Joe D. "Papa" Gilder passed away peacefully on March 17, 2022 after a long battle with dementia.
He was born in Jackson, MO on December 7, 1929. He was married to the late Natalie (Fontaine) Gilder for 57 years. He is survived by one sister, Peggy Proffer of Missouri.
He joined the Navy in 1948 and served in the Korean War on the USS Philippine Sea CV-47 until 1952. A shipmate of Joe's asked him to stop in Whitman while on liberty, check on a friend, and have himself a home cooked meal. Little did he know at the time, as he stepped off the bus at the Linden House and proceeded to walk up the street to 250 South Ave. that he would meet the love of his life, Natalie Fontaine, daughter of Gladys and Amos Fontaine, owners of Nat's Pizza House. Joe and Nat made their home in Whitman and later moved to Carver, making many friends along the way.
Joe spent most of his career in the automotive industry, working for AMC as a service rep and later as an instructor. He had an engineering stint with AMC in Detroit MI and Kenosha WI. He left AMC to relocate at Temple Street Garage where he enjoyed working for Al Rosen for many years. It was in Whitman that he joined the Auxiliary Police as a patrolman and later served as the Chief of the Auxiliary. He maintained the WPD cruisers right up until he turned 86 and retired in 2016.
Joe liked to fish, travel, dance the boot scooting boogie, he raced go-karts for 30 years and would never miss reading the Enterprise, cover to cover, every night.
Loving father to his three surviving children, Van Gilder of Tifton GA, Noel Gilder of Plymouth MA and Anne Gilder of Winston-Salem NC. He was "Papa" to his grandchildren Aaron, Kristen, Johanna, Jacob, Dorienne, Emily, Andrea and Jeremiah and a great grandfather as well.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Joe will be interred with military honors at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne at a later date.