Helen Gilles Obituary

Helen M. Gilles 1922-2017 age, 95 died September 27, 2017. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul W Gilles and son-in-law, Larry Seidel. She is survived by children, Timothy (Sealy) Gilles, Becky (Kit) Richardson, Kathleen Seidel; nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren; additionally, by Mary Carter; best friend since 4th grade.

She was born in 1922 to Hazel and Montie Martin at home on the farm near Wellsville, Kansas.

Helen attend Prairie Bell one-room school and Paola High School. She attended the University of Kansas for both her undergraduate and medical degrees. In December 1944 Helen married Paul Wlison Gilles and graduated from KU Medical School in June 1945.

She did her pediatric internship and residency in Berkeley, California while Paul finished his Ph.D. and postdoctoral work at the University of California Berkeley. They returned to Lawrence in 1948 and Helen began her pediatric practice. Her practice was part-time which gave her time to be with her family, sew, quilt and be active in the community. She retired from private practice in 1982 but continued to practice medicine at the Student Health Service of Haskell Indian Nations University and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Clinic in Holton serving the Kickapoo, Potawatomi and Iowa reservations. She was an attentive and caring person in the Lawrence community. She was one of the founders of both the Lawrence Community Nursery School and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation. She served on the Lawrence School Board, the Lawrence Human Rights Commission, the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts and was chairman of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation. She was a Girl Scout leader for 10 years and Sunday School teacher at the Unitarian Fellowship. She was a pediatrician, friend, leader and mentor to many in the Lawrence community. Helen and Paul loved their second home in northern Minnesota which like Lawrence has a strong, thriving community.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2017 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Lawrence, 1263 N. 1100 St at 2 p.m.

Donations to KU Chemistry Department Paul and Helen Gilles Scholarship Fund (KU Endowment, Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044) or Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Lawrence (1263 N. 1100 St. Lawrence, KS 66047) and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

For more information or to post a condolence, please visit warrenmcelwain.com.