GILDNER, Jay W. c1926-2000

GILDNER

Posted By: K. Kittleson
Date: 5/16/2009 at 20:59:29

Jay W. Gildner, age 73, retired Career Minister in the U.S. Foreign Service died of cardiovascular failure at Sibley Hospital in Washington, D.C. on January 14, 2000.

Jay Gildner, who was born in Mason City, Iowa, served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He graduated from the University of Minnesota magna cum laude in 1949 and was appointed Phi Beta Kappa. He remained active in his Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity since his graduation.

Over a period of 28 years with The United States Information Agency including an assignment at the White House as Assistant Press Secretary to President Kennedy, Mr. Gildner covered the Agency's top positions in Washington and abroad. In 1983, he retired from USIA to become Vice President of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, Inc. Both organizations, funded by Congressional Grants, then operated out of Munich, Germany, broadcasting in 21 languages to audiences in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.

Mr. Gildner is the recipient of the Agency's Superior Honor Award, and the Meritorious Honor Award. He also held the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy's Edward R. Murrow Award in Public Diplomacy. When asked to comment on Mr. Gildner's role and his influence on the activities of USIA since its inception, a senior associate from Gildner's USIA days, shocked by news of his death, stated simply: "Gildner did it all, and he did it well."

Since retiring from government, Mr. Gildner has been very active in community affairs. His main pro bono activities include representing the Lake Shore Property Owner Associations of Northern Minnesota in their efforts with the U.S. Forest Service to modify timber and forest management policies and practices, including the policy and plans for the Chippewa National Forest. He was the first ever public member of the Chippewa Forest's standards and guidelines monitoring team. He was a member of the Natural Resources Committee of the Upper Mississippi. He also worked with groups interested in international education and foreign affairs. He was a member of the advisory board of the Walker Pilot Independent newspaper.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years Beverly Eriksen Gildner and three sons: Page W. Gildner of Chevy Chase; Gray M. Gildner of Fairfax Station, Va. and wife Jean with son Dylan and daughter Lauren; and Hunt W. Gildner of Apple Valley, Minn., with wife Barbara, daughters Allison and Emily and son Jared. Others are a sister, Mary Gildner Snore and husband John of Naples, Fla., and a brother, Dan Gildner and wife Nancy of Boulder City, Nev, and sister-in-law Carol S. Gildner of Seabrook, Md.

He was preceded in death by his parents Kleo and Ruth Gildner of Austin, Minn., and his brother Colonel John L. (Jack) Gildner USAF Retired.

[Austin Daily Herald, January 18, 2000]