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Gilman, Valade
celebrate
100 years July 18
PUTNAM —July 18 Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory will celebrate the business’s 100th Anniversary with a rededication ceremony at its location, 104 Church St. in Putnam. The funeral home in Putnam has been in the same location since 1938, when it was purchased by the original owner Alexander Gilman and is now owned and operated by Robert Fournier Jr.
A rededication ceremony will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on the 18th and will include a ribbon cutting as well as remarks by local elected officials and the presentation of commemoratives and proclamations. Following the event, Fournier and his staff will bury a time capsule, which is planned to be unveiled in 20 years.
“We are inviting the general public to write a special note or memory to someone they want to be remembered by in the future, and our plan is to read these notes when we unveil the capsule in 20 years. We also plan to include a few unique items as well as time-sensitive items that we assume will have changed dramatically by 2039. We see this as both a Memory Capsule and a Time Capsule,” said Fournier.
Materials will be available at the rededication ceremony for those who would like to contribute a written note or memory. In addition, “The public is encouraged to contact us if they have items they’d like considered for placement in the capsule.” he added.
The original business was started in 1919 by Mr. Gilman, a local hardware store owner. Since its early days the name Gilman Funeral Home has been synonymous with community service as well as providing quality care to local families. The funeral home ownership was passed down to Leonard Gilman who owned and operated the business until 1973.
Lawrence Bellerose began working for the Gilman family in 1958. He and his wife Arlene purchased the funeral home in 1973. Robert Fournier acquired the business in 2005 from the Alderwoods Group, which ran the funeral home for 10 years. With the exception of the decade involving The Alderwoods Group, Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes has been a family-owned and operated funeral service.
“We’re very proud of the fact that with a minor exception, the Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes have provided quality care as a family-owned and operated business for 100 years. In celebrating our centennial, it’s our way of saying thank you to the people of Putnam and the surrounding area,” said Fournier.
The Rededication Celebration ceremony is open to the public. In addition to preparing the Memory Capsule and several brief presentations, the event will include a drawing for gift certificates to local restaurants and refreshments. Reservations are not required; however, anyone interested in attending can call 860-928-7723.
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