Avis de décès de Helen-F. -Helen-Frederick-Gibson Gibson - Nécrologie - MesAieux.com

GIBSON, HELEN F. Helen Frederick Gibson, a life- long dedicated nurse and devoted wife and mother, died February 22, 2006 after suffering a stroke in her home in the retirement community of Village On The Green in Longwood, Florida. She was 91. Born in Mobile, AL, she grew up in Youngstown, Ohio where her father Allen ran the family Frederick Dairy - their slogan was "You can whip our cream, but you can't beat our milk." After graduating from South High and attending the College of Wooster (her mother Amy's alma mater) for two years, Helen became interested in nutrition and transferred to pursue a career in nursing. She graduated as a nurse in 1938, with a B.S. from Carnegie Tech and an R.N. from West Penn Hospital. In the Fall of the same year, she married her high school sweetheart, Glenn V. Gibson, and moved to Tuscaloosa where he was finishing college at the University of Alabama. They enjoyed a 68-year loving relationship and on Valentine's Day, 2004 were honored as "King and Queen of Hearts" for being the longest-married couple in their retirement community. During their first year of marriage, Helen taught and served as Director of Nursing and Head of the School of Nursing at the Druid City Hospital in Tuscaloosa. Over the next four years she continued practicing nursing in Denver, Chicago, and then in Washington, D.C. where she and Glenn put down roots and started a family that became the main focus of her life. In 1953 the family moved to a new house in Bethesda, MD that she helped design, build, decorate, and landscape. She was an early practitioner of recycling, organic gardening, and physical fitness. Her beautiful yard and gardens, especially the neighborhood- popular red raspberry bushes transplanted from her parents' farm in Canfield, OH, reflected her green thumb and caring attention. She was also active in community organizations, and served as a cub scout, brownie, and girl scout leader. She returned to private duty, public health, and school (Walter Johnson H.S.) nursing during the 1960's and early 1970's, and moved to Longwood, FL in her retirement years. She pursued her love of music, begun as a clarinetist in high school, by singing with her college choirs and later with choirs at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church during the years of Peter Marshall, the Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, and the Wekiva Presbyterian Church in Longwood. Curious by nature, Helen enjoyed reading, learning, and exploring new ideas and different ways of doing things. Other long-time interests included bridge, sewing, entertaining, traveling, hiking and genealogy. Perhaps most of all, she and Glenn delighted in spending time together with visiting family and friends, and sharing with them the ocean, wildlife sanctuaries, and many theme parks close to their home. Helen Gibson is remembered by her family as a loving mother, devoted wife, and consummate homemaker who had a passion for life, boundless energy, and a commitment to helping others. She is survived by her brother, Col. James A. Frederick of Terra Alta, WV; three children, Wade Gibson of Baltimore, MD, Carol Smith of New York, NY, and June Dale of Canton, NC; six grandchildren and two step-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren. Helen was predeceased by her husband, who died in June, 2005, and by her sister Betty Williams of Canfield, OH. A memorial service was held February 25th at Village On The Green. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at 10AM on March 27th. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Hospice of the Comforter, 480 W. Central Pkwy, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 (407 682 0808), www.hospiceofthecomforter.org; or to the Wekiva Presbyterian Church, 211 Wekiva Springs Lane, Longwood, FL 32779 (407 869 1608); or to the Village on the Green Scholarship Fund, VOTG, 500 Village Place; Longwood, Florida 32779 (407 682 0230).