Lloyd R. Gerrits, 87, died on February 2 at Door County Medical Center, Sturgeon Bay, after a brief illness. He was born March 25, 1927, in West De Pere, to Peter J. and Jeanette (Sanders) Gerrits. Lloyd married Dorothy "Dottie" Van Remortel September 17, 1966 at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay. Upon graduating from Nicolet High School in West De Pere in 1945, he enlisted in the Navy. After World War II, he enrolled at The Gregg College, School of Court Reporting, Chicago, and took his first position as Official Court Reporter in the Circuit Court, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He returned to his home area in 1950 to accept an official Court Reporter position in a newly created court and continued to serve in the Brown County Court system for 28 years before taking his retirement. He was a member of the Wisconsin Court Reporters Association serving as Secretary and Vice President. Lloyd and Dottie lived in Allouez for 17 years and then built a home on their 96-acre wooded property in the Town of Oneida where they enjoyed planting and nurturing trees, blazing hiking trails, photographing and studying the natural beauty that surrounded them. They moved to Door County in 1996 and built a home near Sister Bay, where he enjoyed vegetable gardening, building a beautiful stone hedge and caring for its natural beauty. Lloyd and Dottie had many winters as snowbirds in Ft. Myers, FL as well as exploring national parks and natural areas throughout the country in their travel trailer. They also enjoyed many trips to Europe. An avid outdoorsman, over the years Lloyd spent time hunting, fishing, birding, camping and raising beagles for hunting and field trialing. He loved nature and had a reverence for the environment. Taking care of it was as natural as breathing. He was a past member of the Brown County Conservation Alliance, Izaak Walton League, Gardeners Club of Green Bay and N.E.W. Beagle Club. He was also a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County (UUFDC). A strong believer in giving back to his community, Lloyd served for many years as a volunteer usher with the Peninsula Music Festival, the American Folklore Theater, the Door Community Auditorium, and Peninsula Players. He was also a member of the Door County Land Trust, The Ridges, Green Bay Botanical Garden, Nature Conservancy and Natural Resources Defense Council. Lloyd is survived by his wife, Dottie, siblings, Clarence "Whitey" Gerrits, Audrey Manders, Rosella "Rody" (Lee) Conard, sister-in-law, Carol Gerrits, Godchildren, Kathy Rasmussen, Don Gerrits, Larry Conard and Angie Van Remortel-Bryan, as well as many other nieces, nephews and loved ones. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Robert, Kenneth and Donald Gerrits, sisters-in-law, Evelyn Gerrits and Lil Gerrits, and brother-in-law, Sylvester "Sam" Manders. Family and friends may call RYAN FUNERAL HOME and Crematory, 305 North Tenth Street, De Pere from 10:00am to Noon on Saturday, February 14, 2015. A Funeral Service will follow, Rev. Cynthia Baines Johnson presiding. Additionally, a Memorial Service will be held March 13, 2015 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County, 10341 Water St., Ephraim, WI at 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The UUFDC Memorial Garden or Door County Land Trust. Please visit www.ryanfh.com to send online condolences to the Gerrits family. The family would like to thank the staff at the Door County Medical Center for their loving care at a this difficult time.