Dr. Louis Gilbert

Louis "Lou" William Gilbert, 94, died June 5, 2013, in Green Valley, Ariz.

He was born March 16, 1919, in Beatrice, the youngest child of William B. Gilbert and Margaret Frolick Gilbert. He graduated from Beatrice High School in 1936. Louis then attended Nebraska Wesleyan University where he met his future wife, Geraldine Walters. They were married in 1943 after his graduation from the University of Nebraska College Of Medicine. Following an internship at the University of Iowa, he entered the U.S. Army Medical Corps in 1944. He served in the Philippines until 1946 when he was honorably discharged. He practiced general medicine in Hot Springs, S.D., until he began a three-year fellowship in urology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

In 1952, he began a urology practice in Lincoln. He was co-founder of Urology, P.C., and served on the Nebraska State Board of Health. He retired at age 74 in 1993.

In 1962, Louis and Geraldine bought an old farm on the Platte River and converted the property to a nature preserve. Later the Nebraska State Historical Society recommended a conservation and historic preservation easement to protect the land, which includes the most sacred site of the Pawnee Indian Nation.

It is now on the National Register of Historic Places and is known as "Pahuk." Louis and Geraldine lived at Pahuk until they began spending winters in Green Valley in the 1990s.

In 2006, Louis arranged to give to the City of Beatrice land that was the original homestead of his maternal grandparents, John and Fredericka Frolick. It is now a beautiful city park and an affiliate of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.

Since 2007, Louis and Geraldine have resided at La Posada in Green Valley. Louis was very involved in the daily activities, often visiting with old and new friends. He continued to stay active in his retirement, attending classes, taking nature walks, travelling "home" to Nebraska, and enjoying time with his family. In March, Louis and Geraldine celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with a trip to California.

Louis is survived by his wife, Geraldine (Geri), his sons, William (Bill) and Richard (Rick), and his grandchildren Ryan and Kaitlyn.

He was preceded in death by his son, Joel, and his siblings, George and Fred Gilbert and Katherine Mobley.

Louis was a kind and generous person who helped many people over the years. His love of people and nature was rich, and among his favorite places were Pahuk, Beatrice, and La Posada. Friends who want to make a memorial contribution may send it to The Nature Conservancy (www.nature.org), Prairie Plains Resource Institute (www.prairieplains.org), or Friends of Madera Canyon (www.friendsofmaderacanyon.org).