Carol Gilgen

Carol Elizabeth Keyes Gilgen (1932-2011) Loving mother and spouse, Carol Elizabeth Keyes Gilgen, wife of retired UNI professor Albert R. Gilgen, died at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics on December 14 of a stroke with her husband, daughter Beth, and son, Bert, at her side. Ironically, it was her Birthday. Son, Jim, heard of his mother's death while at work. Though her family, including grandsons, Chris, Jamie and Zach, granddaughter, Katie and great grandson, Jaxon were her primary source of joy and satisfaction, Carol was also a brilliant intellectual. She had an encyclopedic mind concerning matters of American and Russian history and was well read in financial matters. She shepherded her and Al's financial investments and retirement accounts with great skill. The Wall Street Journal was required daily reading. She was well known for leading in-depth discussions of historical and current political matters in our living room. Her faith in God provided extra strength when she needed it. Carol, was born in Oneonta, New York in 1932 to De Forest and Sarah A. Keyes (Sarah's maiden name was Robertson) and, because her family lived not only in Oneonta during her childhood and adolescent years, but in Florida, Colorado and California, she attended private schools in Miami, Denver and Pasadena. She then studied Russian history and Russian language, earning a Bachelor's degree from Bryn Mawr College in 1954. Later in life she earned a Masters degree from Kent State University and even later passed CPA requirements after studying at UNI. Carol met her husband Al when she was a sophomore at Bryn Mawr and he a senior and NROTC midshipman at Princeton University. A classmate of Al's arranged the blind date. Her husband-to-be served in the Navy as a junior officer on a Norfolk, Virginia based destroyer, the USS James C. Owens (DD 776) which sailed to Korean waters in 1953 arriving just as the Korean Conflict ended. Carol and Al's relationship matured when his ship was briefly placed in dry-dock in the Philadelphia Naval Yards for some repairs. Being near Bryn Mawr, Al called Carol and they were married in Oneonta on August 1, 1954. After Al completed his Naval service in 1955, they lived successively, in: Akron and Kent, Ohio (they both received Masters degrees at Kent State University, he in psychology and she in political science); East Lansing, Michigan where Al attained his PhD; Beloit, Wisconsin where Al taught until 1973 at Beloit College (during that time, they spent a year on leave in Galway, Ireland where Al taught, supported by a Fulbright Exchange Lectureship, at what was then Galway college which later became a university). Finally, in 1973, Carol, and family moved to Cedar Falls when Al was offered the Headship of the Department of Psychology at the University of Northern Iowa. Carol played a major role in Al's academic career helping him write and/or edit six books on the history of American psychology, the history and status in the late 1980s and early 1990s of Soviet psychology (her background in Russian history came in handy), and an international handbook of psychology. Carol's and Al's lives were closely intertwined the entire 57 years they were married. For Al, her passing has left a great void which, with the help of his family, he hopes gradually to fill. Fireside games of Scrabble in their Victorian home she loved so much will be especially missed. Each of the other family members will also have voids to fill. This is, indeed, a sad time for the family. Visitation will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday at Richardson Funeral Service, followed by the Memorial Service at 7 p.m. Memorials may be directed to St. Patrick Catholic Church in Cedar Falls.