Gary Ripley Stiers

Gary Ripley Stiers passed away in his home August 12, 2026, surrounded by family and dear friends, Wayne and Pat Lura. He was born November 11, 1945 in Danville, Illinois to Arthur and Bette (Ripley) Stiers. When the family farm in the Hoopeston, Illinois area was sold, his family moved to Peoria Heights, Illinois. He attended Richwoods High School and then Bradley University in Peoria where he earned a BS degree in Biology. He next entered the University of Illinois School of Medicine, Chicago, and graduated as an MD in 1970. His first two years of Pediatric Residency were with Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. He volunteered to serve as a Reserve Naval Medical Officer starting as an Ensign in 1967 while in Medical School. He transferred to active duty as an Internal Medicine Naval Medical Officer caring for United States Marine and Navy personnel from 1972 through 1974 during the Vietnam War finishing service as a Lieutenant Commander. He returned to finish the last year of his Pediatric Residency with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in Madison, Wisconsin through 1975.

While at University of Illinois Medical School, Gary met the love of his life, the beautiful Bette Bean, a student at the Rush-Presbyterian School of Nursing. They were married in 1968 in Bette’s hometown, Hammond, Indiana. Life took them from Chicago, through the Navy duty, and then to Gary’s first attending medical practice in Pediatrics and Emergency Room Medicine at Rhinelander Medical Clinic in the Oneida-Vilas Counties lake country in northern Wisconsin where they bought their first home and built a cherished lake cabin together. After 8 years there, Gary, Bette, and their 2 children, Eric, and Kristen moved once more to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where Gary was proud and privileged to practice Pediatric Medicine at Gundersen Medical Center from 1984 until his retirement at the end of 2011. Forever a biologist, Gary was a long-standing member of The Nature Conservancy and asked that any memorial donations be sent to The Mississippi Valley Conservancy (PO Box 2611, La Crosse, WI 54602). He was a Golden Retriever’s companion, an avid bow hunter, fisherman, and lover of the wild places on our precious and glorious Earth.

Gary is survived by his wife of 58 years, Bette, his son, Eric, New Zealand, his daughter, Kristen, and grandchildren, Dax, Nels, Otto and Britta Ripley, Edina, MN, his brother, Bruce (Jane), his sisters, Michaele Ann Hall (Tom), Barbara Herrli (Gary), his sister-in-law, Bea, his cousin, Patty Cook, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Arthur, his cousin, Jere Cook, and several beloved Golden Retrievers. A Celebration of Life will be held in the fall.

The above was written by Gary, before his courageous two-year battle with cancer. We would like to thank the Oncology and Radiology Departments and our wonderful Emplify Hospice Care Team

To Bette and many others Gary was a walking encyclopedia – a true Renaissance Man. As a professor at the Gundersen Clinic he enjoyed teaching the U of W medical students as they rotated through pediatrics and was selected teacher of the year 3 times.

His humble self-title was “Gary R Stiers, MD, Field Marshal, President for Life”.