Ray Westerfield Gilbert

Ray Westerfield Gilbert, 89, of Dallas, TX, for over 50 years, and of Ames, IA for the past two years, passed away peacefully, painlessly, and surrounded by loved ones at Mary Greeley Hospital, Ames, on Monday, July 24, 2017. A celebration of Ray's life will be held on Thursday, July 27, 2017, at the Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home: 502 Douglas Ave., Ames, IA 50010; (515) 232-5121 Visitation: 10:00 to 11:00 am, Thursday, July 27th; Service and Interment 11:00 to 12:30. Ray, the eldest of three children, was born on October 4, 1927, in Uvalde, Texas, to Herman and Mary Lucy (Gwinn) Gilbert. As a 1946 Uvalde HS graduate, Ray joined the U.S. Army for three years and served as Sergeant, surgical technician, and Army boxing team medic. Stationed in Korea, he later returned home, married Martha Belle Hinton, on October 14, 1949, (divorced in 1973) and later married Priscilla (Polly) Sue Stephenson Boatwright, Dec. 27, 1977. Polly and Ray moved to Ames two years ago to live near their son, Dr. Stephen B. (Dr. Joanne Marshall) Gilbert and his grandsons, Peter James and Simon John Marshall-Gilbert. Others left to honor Ray's legacy include: Ray's daughter Judalon (Chris) Manes and their children of Palm Springs, CA; Ray's grandchildren Jonathan and Muffy Watson of Redlands, CA and Air Force Capt. Raphael (Katharine) Watson and great grandchildren, Michael, Sarah, and Teddy, of Beavercreek, OH; Ray's son, Steven Ray (Cherie) Gilbert and granddaughters, Anna (Addison) Day, and Madison Gilbert of Dallas, TX; his sister, Faye (Wayne) Courreges of Bedford, TX; Ray's sister-in-law, Patty Calvert, and her children, Trish (Carl) Ring of Memphis, TN; and children; Dennis (Suzann) Calvert and children Kelsey and Kevin of Laguna Hills, CA; brother-in-law, John W. Stephenson, Sr., and sons, John W. (Megan) Stephenson, Jr. and children, May and Jack; David (Nikki) Stephenson and children, Ella and J.D. of Atlanta, GA; cousin Kathy Pellegrino of Louisville, KY and her children; plus nephews and cousins Rick Stephenson, John R. (Shirley) Stephenson, Sondra (Bob Nagle) Gilmore and their children and grandchildren, and retired U.S. Army General Richard Stephenson plus numerous other cousins, nephews, nieces, and great nephews and nieces. Ray was preceded in death by his parents Herman and Mary Lucy (Gwinn) Gilbert, of Uvalde, TX, his mother and father-in law, Aleatha and Jim Stephenson, of Richardson, TX, his grandson, Dylan Ray Gilbert, age 21, of Dallas, his sister Martha Vickers, of Salt Lake City, UT, and his brother-in-law, Dennis Calvert of Memphis. Ray earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston. He served hundreds of children and their families and received awards from Children's Medical Center in Dallas; as Chief Psychologist for the Children's and Adolescent Treatment Center for Terrell State Hospital; as an adjunct professor for the U.T. Southwestern Medical School's Clinical Psychology Dept., and as a private practice practitioner for over forty years in Dallas. He also partnered with Polly to build their private tutoring company, TLC, Inc., and managed their Richardson rental properties. Ray will be remembered as one of the brightest, kindest, and most unselfish men imaginable. He loved reading, gardening, travel, the outdoors, music, and oil painting. He painted beautiful landscapes for the sheer joy of the process. He will be most remembered for his love of God and his family, his compassion and excellence as a psychologist, his delightful sense of humor, his generous spirit, his inexorable integrity, and his mental tenacity and tough resolve despite the physical challenges of aging. Everyone loved Ray. Memorial contributions may be directed to: Boy Scouts of America, Mid-Iowa Council, Prairie Winds District, 6123 Scout Trail., Des Moines, IA 50321; and St. Mark's School of Texas Libraries, 10600 Preston Rd., Dallas, TX 75230.