Lewis Foster Kibler

Lewis Foster Kibler, 96, passed away at Maplewood Nursing Home on November 10, 2023. Lewis, the son of Everett Lawrence Kibler, Sr. and Elizabeth Foster Kibler, was born April 6, 1927, in Pittsburgh, PA.

In addition to his parents, Lewis was predeceased by his wife of 67 years, Priscilla P. Kibler; brother, Everett L. Kibler, Jr.; sister, Marie Gaertner; and sons, Andrew P. and Douglas E. Kibler. He is survived by his son, Wendell (Jeannie) Kibler; daughter, Elizabeth (Glen) Lukaszewski; sister-in-law, Martha Delo; eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, seven nieces, and five nephews.

A WWII veteran, Lewis enlisted in the Navy at age 17 while attending the Kiski School in Pittsburgh, PA. Although he was class Valedictorian, he never got to attend his graduation because he was called to active duty. He later attended the University of Pittsburgh for both his BS and MD degrees. He worked as a General Practitioner for a few years and went on to specialize in Anesthesia, completing his residency at Allegheny General Hospital. Lewis moved to Jamestown, NY, and worked at both WCA and Jamestown General Hospitals (JGH) as a partner in a company he co-founded, Anesthesia Associates of Jamestown, MD, PC. He eventually became the Chief of Staff at JGH. He was also a member of the Chautauqua County Medical Society, often serving as their Secretary. After 30 years, Lewis and his wife retired to the family home in New Hampshire.

Lewis had a deep respect for nature. He was well ahead of his time actively practicing conservation and recycling. He recognized the impacts of pollution, damage to the ozone layer, and global warming long before they became social issues. (To the joy of his children, one conservation method he employed was to maintain the household temperature at 60 degrees all through the winter.)

His passions were ornithology, genealogy, gardening, reading, and learning in general. He spent many years studying and recording the habits of bluebirds in Western New York. He designed a special bluebird box for nesting and contributed significantly to the repopulation of bluebirds in Western New York. He traveled to many locations, including Cuba, Trinidad, Alaska, Costa Rica, Peru, and Mexico to study their local birds and wildlife. Once he returned home, he enjoyed regaling his friends with 3-hour slide shows to share all that he had learned.

The greatest gifts Lewis gave to his family were opportunity and experience. Lewis expected hard work from everyone but incorporated little lessons into most everything he did. He maintained a huge garden and taught his children the art of gardening and growing your own food. He taught his family how their ancestors cared for the land. In his role as "Grandpaw", Lewis invented games and treasure hunts for his grandchildren to show them the wonders of nature. As his body slowed, Lewis spent his time reading. His hunger for knowledge never stopped. We will miss him greatly but appreciate the time we had together.

A burial and Celebration of Life will be held in the spring. We treasure your thoughts and prayers. For those who would like to honor Lewis with a charitable donation, we ask that you consider contributing to the Andrew Kibler Memorial Scholarship Fund at Jamestown Community College or to the Jamestown Audubon Community Nature Center.