Lila Lee Gilpin, 84, Hays, died Thursday, June 11, 2015 at the Hays Medical Center.
She was born March 2, 1931 on the family farm in Barton County, Kansas the daughter of Chester A. and Florence Helen (Thorpe) Smith. On January 13, 1951 she married her husband of 57 years, Carl G. Gilpin in Great Bend. He died on December 24, 2008.
She was a homemaker and a member of the First United Methodist Church, Hays, the Methodist Women’s Circle, and Suppers Eight. She attended business college in Denver, loved to play bridge and dominoes, and enjoyed traveling and spending time with her family. She enjoyed attending church meetings and volunteering at Hays Medical Center.
Survivors include two daughters, Gayle L. Ernst and husband Greg of Ellis, Kansas and Carla K. Stiles and husband Mike of Hill City, Kansas, a brother Peter Dale “Bob” Smith and wife Fritzie of Great Bend, 10 grandchildren, Shane Buchholz (Aimee Erhart) of Glendale, AZ, Charles Martin (Tan Yi) of Phoeniz, AZ, Lucas Ernst of Ellis, Tyler (Chasity) Watson of Ellis, Shannon Denning and Zachary Bird of Glendale, Cortnie Bird of Brooklyn, NY, Jessie (Dylan) Pohlman of Maize, KS, Missy (Justin) Balthazor of Plainville, and Tabitha (Jason) Haskett of Eudora, KS, fourteen great grandchildren, Jordyn (David) Berry of Wakeeney, Andria Buchholz of Hays, Trinten Houser and Matthew Ernst of Ellis, Haven Watson of Ellis, Ryann and Teagan Redinger and Finnley and Abrahm Pohlman of Maize, Tate Balthazor of Plainville, and Kimble, Kaitlyn, Karter, and Kora Haskett of Eudora, two great great grandchildren, Wyatt and Roe Berry of Wakeeney, and daughter Linda’s significant other, Tom Kasanek.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a daughter Linda L. Bird in 2008, and a brother Chester L. Smith and his wife Willa.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 am on Monday, June 15, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church, 305 W. 7th Street, Hays. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Ellis. Visitation will be from 9:30 am until service time on Monday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Hays Medical Center, in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.