Robert Tileston Gannett (September 26, 1917 – August 26, 2012) was an American politician and lawyer. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Gannett graduated from

Milton Academy Milton Academy (also known as Milton) is a highly selective, coeducational, independent preparatory, boarding and day school in Milton, Massachusetts consisting of a grade 9–12 Upper School and a grade K–8 Lower School. Boarding is offered ...

in 1935. He then graduated from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

in 1939 and received his law degree from

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States. Each class i ...

in 1942. He enlisted in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

during World War II. He served in the field artillery from 1942 to 1946, including combat service in Europe in 1944 and 1945, and attained the rank of major. After the war, he practiced law in

Brattleboro, Vermont Brattleboro (), originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The most populous municipality abutting Vermont's eastern border with New Hampshire, which is the Connecticut River, Brattleboro is located about no ...

. Gannett served as a Republican in the

Vermont House of Representatives The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives are ...

from 1953 to 1961 and served in the

Vermont State Senate The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The senate consists of 30 members. Senate districting divides the 30 members into three single-member districts, six two-m ...

from 1972 to 1993. Gannett was married to Sarah Alden "Aldie" Derby (December 11, 1920 – May 17, 1999), a granddaughter of President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

. The couple had three children. In 1986, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce selected him as its Man of the Year. Both Gannett and his wife, Aldie, received honorary degrees from the

University of Vermont The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a public land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1791 and is among the oldest universities in the United S ...

. He was affiliated with Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, the Prouty Center, the Southern Vermont Arts Council, the Vermont Community Foundation, Youth Services, the Green Mountain Club, the Brattleboro Retreat, the Snelling Center, Harris Hill and the Brattleboro Rotary Club (of which he was a founding member). Gannett died in

, aged 94.Vermont Folklife Center Radio-Robert T. Gannett

Notes

1917 births 2012 deaths Lawyers from Boston Politicians from Boston Lawyers from Brattleboro, Vermont Politicians from Brattleboro, Vermont Military personnel from Massachusetts Milton Academy alumni Harvard Crimson baseball players Harvard Law School alumni Republican Party members of the Vermont House of Representatives Republican Party Vermont state senators Roosevelt family Harvard Crimson football players United States Army personnel of World War II {{Vermont-politician-stub