Lou Dillon Gilpin

Lou was a lifelong Texan. She was born in Breckinridge, TX on November 6, 1937. Her family moved to Houston when she was five years old. She attended public schools and graduated from Lamar High School in 1955. At Lamar she was a member of the Choralettes. Her father’s work in the oil business took the family to Idaho for a time, then later to South America. Lou attended Tarleton Junior College from 1955 to 1957, where she served as a Senior Class officer, was a member of the yearbook staff, was honored as an Eterna, and was a member of Who’s Who. On a lark, she and some girlfriends decided to participate in a local beauty contest. A statuesque brunette, she was crowned Miss Erath County. She later participated in the Miss Texas pageant. Lou then transferred to the University of Texas and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and Speech Therapy. She was a member of the Iota chapter of Chi Omega.

It was at UT that she met her future husband, John Dean Gilpin. The couple were married in 1960 and resided in Houston where they raised their three children. They were divorced in 1984.

Lou maintained a lifelong interest in history and genealogy. She authored several books on family ancestry. Bibles, Lineages, Histories; Houston Colony Society of Mayflower Descendants, is a widely regarded resource in genealogical circles. Lou was an active member and office holder in the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), the Mayflower Society, and the Magna Charta Dames.

Always interested in physical fitness, in her youth she was an avid water skier, enjoyed playing golf and was adept at tap dancing. As an adult Lou partnered with Pilates expert Alan Herdman to open two studios in Dallas and Houston.

Lou worked for over three decades as a speech pathologist in various school districts throughout the State of Texas. A natural teacher, she was most proud of helping children overcome their speech disorders.

Lou had a quick wit and was at her best in a social setting. She was always ready with a humorous anecdote or unusual colloquialism.

Lou was preceded in death by her parents William and Theodora Schoolcraft, and her nephew Casey William Corneau. She is survived by her sister, Colleen Corneau (Jean Guy) and her three children, John Wesley Gilpin II (Kelley), Amanda Gilpin Upshaw (James), and Carey Dean Gilpin (Dion). She is also survived by her seven grandchildren, William Scott Gilpin (Ally), Richard Dean Gilpin, Katherine Evalyn Gilpin, John Wesley Gilpin III, Charles Bell Upshaw IV, Lillian Grace Gilpin, Larry Nathaniel Gilpin, and her niece, Elizabeth Anne Corneau.

Visitation and memorial service will be held at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home and Cemetery, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077. The service will be officiated by Rev. Katie Griffis, a friend of the family. Visitation and a reception will begin at 9:00 a.m., with the service immediately following at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, February 11, 2023.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First Presbyterian Day School, 5671 Calvin Drive, Macon, GA 31210, or the donor’s favorite charity.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkwestheimer.com for the Gilpin family.