Robert Lewis French, long time resident of Ghent, died at Syracuse, NY on April 3, 2011. He was born March 6, 1922 in Elmira, NY, the son of Lewis Edwin French and Lillian Mellen French and eldest of ten children. He was pre-deceased by his wife of 63 years, Esther Louise Griswold French. Dr. French was employed at the NYS Department of Health, the Department of Civil Service, and the Education Department, and retired from the New York State Thruway Authority. He also worked for the US Postal Service in Hudson and the US Census Bureau. Dr. French was valedictorian of the class of 1939 of Savona (NY) High School; received a bachelor's degree from the New York State College for Teachers at Albany (SUNY-Albany) and completed a Master of Arts degree there. He was awarded a Carnegie Fellowship and completed an M.P.A. and Ph.D. at New York University. Dr. French taught 5th and 6th grade in the Ghent (NY) Elementary School, evenings at Russell Sage College, and the Graduate School of Public Affairs at SUNY Albany. Dr. French served as a 2nd Lieutenant in World War II, and served in Europe with the 4th Combat Engineers. He earned 4 battle stars for the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Ardennes campaigns. Dr. French had a strong interest in genealogy and belonged to numerous hereditary organizations including Sons of the Revolution in New York State, Empire State Society, S.A.R., Albany Colony, Society of Mayflower Descendants, Society of the War of 1812, the Descendants of Washington's Army at Valley Forge, National Society Americans of Royal Descent, Order of Founders and Patriots of America, and Continental Society of Descendants of Indian Wars. Dr French was past master of Unity Lodge #9 and Columbia Lodge #98 F&AM. He was also Assistant Grand Lecturer and District Deputy Grand Master of the Columbia Masonic District. In 1990 Dr. French collaborated with his wife Esther Griswold French in publishing The Griswold Family: the First Five Generations in America. He also was author of numerous articles in the Mayflower Quarterly and The Automobilist of the Upper Hudson Valley. Dr Robert L. French is survived by his three children, Gerald French of West Sand Lake, Geoffrey French of Ghent, and Sara French of Syracuse, five grandchildren, five siblings, and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ghent Volunteer Fire Department, of which Dr French was a 25 year member. Calling hours will be Thursday evening 6-8 pm from Wenk Funeral Home, Chatham. Funeral Services Friday 11 am at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Ghent Union Cemetery. Online condolences may be made at wenkfuneralhome.com.