Year Honored: 2005

Birth: 1923 - 2011

Biography

Muriel Edelstein Gilman dedicated her life to two principles: (1) enlightening citizens about problems affecting the equitable delivery of community and social service to the people of DE and effectively addressing those problems; and (2) assuring that there is equitable quality of life for all people regardless of race, creed, or color.

Gilman held numerous executive positions during her 23-year career, including as a consultant to the University of Delaware College of Health and Nursing Services, where she helped to raise more than a million dollars for nursing scholarships. Her most prominent role was as the Executive Vice President of the United Way of Delaware. She was the first professional woman to be hired by the United Way. Upon her retirement in 1988, Gilman said “I’m retiring from the United Way, not from the community. I assure you that I will be active I this community on both a professional and volunteer level.” She kept her word and volunteered with the United Way for another 20 years. She also volunteered for the Delaware Community Foundation and for the National Conference for Community and Justice.

Gilman was honored with a number of awards, including the Josiah Marvel Cup from the Delaware Chamber of Commerce (1995); the J. Thompson Brown Award for Outstanding Contributions to Family Life in Delaware by Children and Family First; the United Way of Delaware’s Alexis de Tocqueville Humanitarian Award for service to the United Way and to the community; the Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award (2004); the National Conference of Community and Justice named her the Delaware Region honoree for dedication and inclusion for all people in Delaware; and the Cabinet Secretary’s Award for Inspirational Leadership (2004) presented for improving the life of children who have experienced abandonment, abuse, mental illness, or substance abuse and for inspiring a culture of excellence among peers. She has also had two awards named in her honor – the ‘Muriel E. Gilman Women in Action’ mentoring program by the UWDE “to inspire women leaders to take action to make a difference in their communities,” and the Muriel E. Gilman Award presented by the 21st Century Fund.
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Sources and Additional Readings

Creating Meaningful Mentorships. United Way Worldwide. (n.d.). Retrieved January 13, 2022, from https://www.unitedway.org/women-united/women-united-our-impact/preparing

Living United is Muriel Gilman's legacy. Cape Gazette. (1970, January 1). Retrieved January 13, 2022, from https://www.capegazette.com/article/living-united-muriel-gilman%E2%80%99s-legacy/13543
The Muriel E. Gilman Award. 21st Century Fund. (n.d.). Retrieved January 13, 2022, from http://21childrensfund.org/the-muriel-e-gilman-award/

Muriel E. Gilman Obituary (2011) The News Journal. Legacy.com. (n.d.). Retrieved January 13, 2022, from https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/delawareonline/name/muriel-gilman-obituary?pid=148876209

United Way of Delaware. (2011, March 1). Muriel Gilman United Way Article. Issuu. Retrieved January 13, 2022, from https://issuu.com/unitedwayofdelaware/docs/muriel_gilman_unitedwayofdelaware