A sergeant with the Massachusetts Department of Correction was killed in a motorcycle crash in Lancaster last week.
Townsend resident Aaron Gill, 50, crashed Thursday, Aug. 7, on Route 117 near Crawford Truck Sales, authorities said. The preliminary investigation suggests he was riding his motorcycle west when he failed to navigate a curve in the road.
Lancaster police and firefighters responded to the crash soon after it happened, but Gill was so severely injured that life-saving measures could not be performed on him, the town’s public safety department said in a press release.
Remembering Sgt. Aaron Gill
Aaron David Gill was born on Aug. 21, 1974, in Burlington, Vermont, to Christine Malhoit and David A. Gill, according to his obituary. He died just a few weeks before his 51st birthday while “doing what he loved.”
“Aaron was a loving father, brother, son, uncle, and cousin,” according to his obituary.
Gill graduated from West Bridgewater High School in 1992, according to his obituary. His younger brother, Eric Gill, wrote on his online tribute wall that he was “everything a big brother should be.”
Gill worked for the state corrections department for 27 years prior to his death, according to his obituary. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he traveled to New York City to assist in the recovery efforts as a volunteer.
“Aaron lived a life of service and loyalty,” his obituary reads.
Stephen Hocking, a friend and colleague of Gill’s, wrote on his online tribute wall that the two worked together at Southeastern Correctional Center and MCI Cedar Junction at Walpole.
“I could always count on Aaron for his friendship and support when I needed it,” Hocking wrote. “He never backed down from the call at work and always advocated for what was right.”
Gill also served others by sharing his talent for playing the bagpipes, according to his obituary. He performed with the Irish American Police Officers Association Pipes & Drums for over a decade and was a founding member of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union’s Pipe and Drum band.
“Whether honoring fallen officers, marking occasions at government ceremonies, or playing at Fenway Park, Aaron carried himself with pride, humility, and deep respect for the traditions he upheld,” his obituary reads.
Gill was also “an enthusiastic family genealogist and a passionate student of New England history,” according to his obituary. He often spent time exploring cemeteries, local archives and historic sites “in search of stories and connections from the past.”
Gill loved riding his motorcycle across the country and on New England backroads, according to his obituary. He was also a founding member and past president of the Hired Guns Motorcycle Club of Massachusetts, where he built “lasting friendships, loyalty and community among its members” over the course of 13 years.
“Aaron will be remembered for his dry humor and sharp wit, always ready with a perfectly timed quip to make others laugh,” his obituary reads.
Memorial service information
Gill leaves behind his daughter, mother, three brothers, stepfather and many other beloved relatives and friends, according to his obituary. A memorial gathering for Gill is set to take place at Russell & Pica Funeral Home in West Bridgewater on Friday, Aug. 15 from 3 to 7 p.m.
A memorial service for Gill is scheduled for the following day at 10 a.m. at the funeral home, according to his obituary. Those looking to honor his memory are asked to donate to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation — a non-profit that was founded in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to provide mortgage-free homes to the families of Gold Star and fallen first-responders.
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