Lydia J. Gillett

Lydia J. (Loewen) Gillett went to be with Jesus on Friday, December 20, 2024 at the age of 89. She came to know the Lord as her Savior at a young age and faithfully fulfilled her desire to love and serve Him to the end. Known and loved for her kindness, sweetness, and the sparkle in her pale blue eyes, she radiated love for people and for Jesus, especially in her last years.

She was born in Meade, Kansas on May 27, 1935, to John E. and Anna C. (Friesen) Loewen. The youngest of four children, Lydia was raised on a farm outside of Meade with her older siblings, Menno, Martha, and David. John and Anna were active in the Mennonite church in Meade where he served as song leader. With the proceeds from the calf she raised as a girl, Lydia purchased her own piano and taught herself to play hymns and choruses which she continued throughout the remainder of her life. She graduated from Meade Bible Academy in May of 1953.

Following high school, Lydia attended Grace Bible Institute in Omaha, Nebraska, where she met and fell in love with Robert “Bob” Harry Gillett. They married on August 25, 1956, and had the privilege of celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary in August of 2021.

Lydia achieved her heart’s desire of becoming a mother with the arrival of their firstborn son in 1957. That joy was repeated five more times with three more sons and two daughters. Firstborn son, Wayne Harris Gillett (Tammie), was born on September 21, 1957, in Omaha, Nebraska where Bob and Lydia began their life together. Three years later, their second son, Kelvin LeRoy Gillett (Leah) was born on August 29, 1960, in Lincoln, Nebraska. While Lydia stayed home to care for the children, Bob traveled with the American Sunday School Union as an itinerant Vacation Bible School and Bible Class leader. During their time with the ASSU, Bob and Lydia lived in Elko and Empire, Nevada and La Junta, Colorado where their first daughter, Brenda Kay Lundeen (Nathan) was born on September 7, 1964.

When Bob accepted his first pastoral call to Calvary Chapel, a small congregation in Colome, South Dakota, Lydia graciously took on the role of pastor’s wife and musician, playing both organ and piano in worship. It was in Colome where their second daughter, Marlis Fay Fenton (Stephan) joined the family on April 10, 1968. Bob and Lydia served several other congregations over the ensuing years including Faith Bible Church and Orchard Park Mennonite Brethren Church in Hutchinson, Kansas. On November 16, 1971, Nolan Royce Gillett, their fifth child, was born in Hutchinson with an unrepairable heart defect which took him home to Jesus at the tender age of nine months. Just three years later, Lydia gave birth to another son, Bryce Lee Gillett (Jenn) their sixth and last child, on June 24, 1974.

Continuing in her role of pastor’s wife, Lydia moved with the family to Henderson, Nebraska where Bob served at Henderson Mennonite Brethren Church and then to Canton, South Dakota to minister at First Baptist Church. Throughout all these years of ministry, parenting, and living her life with Bob, Lydia shared her giftedness through making music on the piano and organ, singing, and occasionally playing the accordion with great skill and enjoyment. Her love of and talent in music was passed down from her parents, to her, and through to her children and grandchildren, many of whom play instruments, lead worship music, and sing. She was also an excellent baker and cook, seamstress, and homemaker, inspiring her children and grandchildren to follow in her footsteps as well.

Lydia took on a job as transcriptionist for Equifax credit bureau following Bob’s retirement from the pastorate and the family’s move back to Hutchinson, Kansas in 1979 to live on an 80-acre farm property. With all the children in school, working as a typist gave Lydia a chance to be involved in her own profession while continuing to care for the family. She was an excellent, fast, and accurate transcriptionist while Bob farmed and worked as an electrician and life insurance salesman.

In 1992, Bob and Lydia returned to Lincoln, Nebraska. She and Bob lived briefly in an apartment during the construction of their home in the Highlands area, a place they enjoyed for many years. They eventually downsized to a townhome where they lived independently until April of 2018. While living in Lincoln, Lydia continued working in transcription, accepting a job at Lincoln Orthopedic where she took great care to spell medical terminology correctly while typing at an incredibly high rate of speed. She was well-respected and admired by doctors and colleagues alike. She had a wardrobe of beautiful clothes and jewelry that she loved to wear. She and Bob enjoyed going out for meals together and visiting their children and grandchildren located both nearby and far away in Nebraska, Minnesota, Colorado, and Arizona. Her tenure at Lincoln Orthopedic lasted for more than 15 years when she retired after moving to part-time work a few years earlier.

When Bob’s mental health began to decline and his emergency gallbladder surgery necessitated a move to assisted living, Bob and Lydia relocated to Oxbow Living Center in Ashland, Nebraska. Lydia again shared her musical talents by playing piano for worship services when requested. The staff and other residents appreciated Lydia’s quiet kindness and humility. They shared a lovely one-bedroom apartment unit in the facility until Bob’s passing in April of 2022. Lydia moved into her eldest daughter’s home in Des Moines, Iowa immediately following Bob’s homegoing and stayed there for eight months before establishing residency at Grand Living, an assisted living facility near Brenda’s place in Des Moines. She had started losing some cognitive ability and memory during her time at Oxbow, and it became more apparent following the move to Des Moines. Her time at Grand Living was spent on Lilac Lane, the women’s memory care unit of the facility where she had her own studio unit and shared living area. She participated in exercises, drum circles, drinking diet Pepsi as a treat, playing piano on occasion, and even getting into the on-site swimming pool. Her last five months were spent at another assisted living and memory care facility, Morningstar Senior Living, even closer to Brenda’s house. Although her time there was short, she received additional needed care and left a lasting impression by always being kind and considerate, loving others without prejudice, and persistently speaking of her love for and desire to go see Jesus.

Lydia joins her husband, parents, siblings, and her infant son in Heaven. She is survived by many loving family members including five children and their spouses, 12 grandchildren (four of whom are married), and six great-grandchildren.

Celebration of Life services for Lydia will be held Sunday, December 29, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, Lincoln Memorial Park, 6700 South 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68512. A private burial will occur.

The family requests that all flowers and notes are sent to Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home and Cemetery, 6800 S. 14th St., Lincoln, NE 68512.