Colonel Gus Nestor Gikas

1921 - 2020

Colonel Gus Nestor Gikas obituary, 1921-2020, Baton Rouge, LA

BORN

1921

DIED

2020

FUNERAL HOME

Rabenhorst Funeral Home & Crematory - Downtown

825 Government Street

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Gus Gikas Obituary

Colonel Gus Nestor Gikas, USAF Retired, passed away in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on September 22, 2020, at the age of 99. He was born April 20, 1921, in Lincoln, Nebraska, the oldest of six children of Greek immigrant parents, Aphrodite Coronis and Nestor K. Gikas. He was raised in the oil boomtown of Borger, Texas, where as a youth, he learned to repair radios and became a HAM radio operator (call sign W5HRF), keeping his license for more than 80 years. In 1942, he enlisted in the US Army as a radio operator and transitioned to the Army Air Corps. Within a year of enlisting, he became a 1st Lt. and had survived the sinking of the HMT Rohna in the Mediterranean Sea by German bombers launching the first-ever radio-guided bomb; 1,138 men perished. Gus went on to serve in the China-Burma-India Triangle for the remainder of the war. After WWII, Gus went on to serve in the newly formed US Air Force and saw duty in post-war Germany and England. In the 1950s, he was assigned to Enewetak Atoll in the Pacific Marshall Islands during testing of the hydrogen bomb. Gus' Air Force career took him and his family to many locations, including Alaska and Madrid, Spain, where he was Vice Commander of the Spanish Communications Region. Before retiring in 1970, Gus earned numerous decorations, including both the Army and Air Force Commendation Medals and the Legion of Merit. Gus received a Bachelor's degree in mathematics from St. Mary's University in San Antonio. In his retirement years, Gus pursued an interest in making stoneware pottery and was on the faculty of the art department of Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos. The pottery that he threw on the wheel with designs applied by his wife Leola were highly sought after by collectors. Gus and Leola were avid genealogists who traveled the US and Europe to research family history, resulting in the publication of three books that Gus typed on a manual typewriter. Gus is survived by his son, Kenneth Stephen Gikas and his wife Carol; two granddaughters, Lydia Gikas Cook, and her husband Patrick, of Cambridge, MA, and Caroline Gikas, of Chattanooga, TN; sister Marie Blackburn Puckett, of Bartlesville, OK; sister-in-law Barbara Broz and husband James, of Victoria, TX; brother-in-law Dr. Robert Herrin, of Marshall, TX; 13 nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death are his wife of 67 years, Lillian Leola Shafer Gikas, for whom he was the sole caregiver for 10 years of her living with Alzheimer's Disease, and their son, Donne Wayne. He was also preceded in death by his brothers John (and wife Joyce), Christopher (and wife Peggy), and Theodore Gikas; sister Margaret Herrin; brother-in-law Felton Shafer (and wife Wanda); brother-in-law J.L. Shafer (and wife Lillian). Gus was a devoted family man and grandfather. A man of highest character with a generous spirit, he was loved and admired by absolutely everyone. His was a life lived right. Gus will be laid to rest in San Antonio, alongside his wife and son. The family wishes to express appreciation to Dr. Michael Rolfsen, Dr. Brad Rodrique, nurse Lolita Welch and the staff of Ollie Steele Burden, and The Hospice of Baton Rouge. Gus was a founding member and president of the Rohna Survivors Memorial Association. For those wishing to make a memorial donation, the family has identified "Rohna: Classified," a feature documentary being produced on the sinking of the Rohna that features Gus as one of the survivor interviewees. (Non-profit tax ID# 04-2738458). www.rohnaclassified.com

Published by The Advocate from Sep. 26 to Sep. 27, 2020.
34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Memories and Condolences
for Gus Gikas

Not sure what to say?





4 Entries

You have touched my life forever Gus. Always remembered Never forgotten.

Vicki Kalman

Friend

September 21, 2022

A year already.
Forever in my heart. I celebrate your life daily by the memories you placed in my heart.
Thank you for sharing your life and family with me.
Always to be remembered
Never to be forgotten

Vicki Kalman

Friend

September 20, 2021

I cared for Gus when he first came in the rehab section of Ollie Steele . I instantly felt a pull to this sweet man he opened up and shared his story about the HMT Rohna with me and from that day forward he has always been on my heart
I hate this virus kept me from being able to visit him I loved him like he was my own father.
Ken , I will hold you all in my prayers.
My life is so much richer by knowing this wonderful man. My hero
Rest In Peace Gus. Thank you for your service to this country.
I Salute your life and will remember you always.
Love you , Vicki

Vicki Kalman

Friend

December 1, 2020

Gus was simply beloved! Beloved by family and beloved by his Rohna family. A sweet and gentle man...honorable and full of chilvary. Thank for your service. Rest In Peace Gus. Rest In Peace. Much love to Ken and family from Jim and family.

Melissa Canney

Friend

September 27, 2020

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 results

Make a Donation
in Gus Gikas's name

Memorial Events
for Gus Gikas

To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one.

Funeral services provided by:

Rabenhorst Funeral Home & Crematory - Downtown

825 Government Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

How to support Gus's loved ones
Commemorate a cherished Veteran with a special tribute of Taps at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.

Read more
Attending a Funeral: What to Know

You have funeral questions, we have answers.

Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?

Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?

We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.

Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Estate Settlement Guide

If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.

Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast

Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.

Read more
The Five Stages of Grief

They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.

Read more
Ways to honor Gus Gikas's life and legacy
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituary Templates

These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.

Read more
Obituary Examples

You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.

Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?

Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.

Read more