Dr. Bob E. Stout M.D.

Dr. Bob E. Stout, M.D., 82, of Houston, Texas, went to be with the Lord on Monday, the 19th of January 2015. Bob was the first Christmas baby of 1932 born in Houston and grew up in Baytown. He loved his hometown and was a proud graduate of Robert E. Lee High School. Bob was in the class of 1955 at Texas A & M University where he completed his undergraduate work and played football. He was a Fighting Texas Aggie to the core! Bob earned his medical degree from University of Texas Galveston before serving in the United States Navy as a flight surgeon. Bob returned to Houston and practiced medicine with the Houston Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic for 44 years.

Bob’s life was tightly bound in priorities and relationships. Grounded in faith and truths found in the Bible, he lived and mentored those around him to seek God, to obtain knowledge and wisdom, to know life is temporary and to understand that regardless of your time here on earth, life is short and should be well lived. Bob had the uncanny ability to look beyond a person’s faults and find friendship; a trait that added a lot of flavor to his home, but also guided his family to understand no one is perfect.

Bob was committed to his family. In love, there was peace but shades of pain and he taught us to live beyond mistakes and strive to learn and improve. He modeled this in second chances and brought a stepfamily together as one; a precious gift that will bring joy and meaning as we continue on. Of Bob’s life with Gayle, his wife of 40 years, he found freedom to be himself. He loved Gayle and their journey together was special. Together, they tenaciously moved our family forward. Bob was not afraid to take all of us down the roads of life less traveled, even if they were less traveled for a reason. Yet, we always found our way home and now laugh at some of the bumps along the way. Bob also had a profound love for his children and adored his grandchildren. There is no doubt we were the joy of his life.

Bob Stout practiced medicine and took pride in his ability to heal others. He was an accomplished surgeon. For half a century, Bob pursued excellence. His devotion to medicine, service and long list of accomplishments earned him the Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006 from UTMB. He was never content with the knowledge he possessed and pursued training and information in a manner that inspired us all. More important, Bob cherished his profession. For Bob, M.D. was so much more than a designation. Bob was a doctor you often waited more than a few minutes to see. He found meaning in people and wanted to engage in conversation, build relationships as he sought to bring relief to those in his care. Bob Stout did not only treat with instruments, procedures and pills. Bob treated his patients with concern, compassion and friendship. Bob’s life was filled with accomplishments. A list of highlights would include Past President of UTMB Alumni, Past President of the Texas Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology Society, Member of Thi Ita Sigma, Member of frat Phi Beta Pi at UTMB, and Inventor of the Patented Nap Bib and apparatus to help people who lost their voice talk.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Luther and Alma Stout; and his brother, L.W. Stout, Jr., and his sister, Marilyn Stout and first wife, Lynne Trout Stout of Lufkin. Bob is survived his wife, Gayle Stout; children, Taylor and Leda Stout of Katy, Courtney and Troy Simon of College Station, Richard and Beth Kelpen of East Hampton, Connecticut and Cathy and Jesse Brown of Houston; grandchildren, Alexandra Brown, Joshua Simon, Jesse Brown, Elizabeth Simon, Elizabeth Kelpen, Nicholas Stout, Payton Stout, Rachel Simon and Victoria Kelpen; as well as many cousins and friends.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers will be Alexandra Brown, Joshua Simon, Jesse Brown III, Elizabeth Simon, Elizabeth Kelpen, Nicholas Stout, Payton Stout, Rachel Simon, Jasmine Ziafat and Victoria Kelpen. Honorary pallbearers will be Mary Ann Galbreath, Dr. Charles Baker and Dr. Donald Nowlin.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Friday, the 23rd of January, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. The memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Saturday, the 24th of January, at South Main Baptist Church, 4100 Main Street in Houston.

Prior to the memorial service the family will have gathered for a private interment at Memorial Oaks Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of the customary remembrances, the family requests monetary contributions in Bob’s memory are to be directed to the Houston Area Parkinson’s Foundation or the Houston Ear Research Foundation.