Bentley Gilbert Obituary

Gilbert, Bentley Brinkerhoff of Mansfield, died Saturday afternoon April 5, 2008, his 84th birthday, following a short illness. The great grandson of Brigadier General Roeliff Brinkerhoff, Bentley was born in 1924 in Mansfield to John Hopkinson and Mary Bentley (Brinkerhoff) Gilbert, and was graduated from Mansfield Senior High School in 1942. During WWII he served with the U.S. Army Air Corps 308th Airdrome Squadron in the Pacific Theater, with campaign service in New Guinea, Southern Philippines and Luzon. He attended Miami University (Ohio) and earned his B.A. in History in 1949, then went on to earn his M.A. in History from The University of Cincinnati in 1950. He finished work on his Ph.D. in History at the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1954. From 1954 to 1967 he served as professor of Modern British History at The Colorado College in Colorado Springs, and from 1967 to 1997 was on the faculty at The University of Illinois at Chicago. At the Univ. of IL, he served several years as chairman of the History Department, as well as Dean of the Graduate College. He retired from the University in 1997. From 1967 to 1984 he served on the advisory board for the First National Bank, Mansfield, Ohio. A lay reader and vestryman in St. Elisabeth's Episcopal Church in Glencoe, Ill., Bentley was a member of American Historical Association and was listed in Who's Who in America. A prolific author, one of his early contributions "Government-sponsored Medical Service; Some American Opinions" was published in 1962 by The Colorado College. His books reflected his interest in British history and include "Evolution of National Insurance in Great Britain" © 1966; "Britain Since 1918" © 1967; "British Social Policy, 1914-1939" © 1970; "David Lloyd George: A Political Life, Vol. I, The Architect of Change 1863-1912" ©11987; "David Lloyd George: A Political Life, Vol. II, The Organizer of Victory 1912-1945" © 1992 (which merited him the Society of Midland Authors Award for Biography); and "Britain 1914-1945: The Aftermath of Power" © 1996. He served as editor for "The Heart of the Empire, Britain in the Twentieth Century," for the Encyclopedia Britannica, 1973; and edited the Journal of British Studies for many years. He contributed articles to numerous professional journals as well as chapters to books. He endowed a fellowship at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The fellowship is for Ph.D. candidates in European History, and is to be used to travel for research purposes and personal support furthering the writing of the dissertation. Bentley was a fellow with the National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health, for such an enduring time, that the National Institute of Arts and Humanities entrusted him with their process of review and distribution of grants by placing him on the board. He was an associate of the Guggenheim Foundation, a Fellow Royal of the Historical Society of Great Britain, a member of the University Club, Chicago, and a member of Westbrook Country Club. He is survived by a son Bentley B. Gilbert, Jr. of Roseburg, Oregon, a daughter Margaret M. Gilbert of Colorado Springs, Colorado, a son and daughter-in-law Louis H. & Linda Gilbert of Mansfield, a son Francis H. Gilbert of Chicago, Illinois; step children Ellen Gallagher of St. Helena, California, Arthur Gallagher and Margaretta "Daisy" Archie both of Clayton, Missouri, and their families; his grandchildren Jacob, Sylvia, Ethan and Lydia Gilbert; and a brother and sister-in-law Henry W. and Vivian Gilbert of Littleton, Colorado. The family will receive friends Tuesday, April 8, 2008 from 3-4 p.m. in the Finefrock Chapel of the Marion Avenue Snyder Funeral Home. The memorial gathering, featuring reflections and lessons learned from Bentley B. Gilbert's life, from the perspective of his four children, family and friends will immediately follow at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Salvation Army of Mansfield. Online condolences may be made to the Gilbert Family by visiting www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.