Uncle El was my oldest uncle and he also was the hardest person I knew.  He loved his family and supported us in the pursuit of our goals as long as he agreed with the path we were on.  He was generous but the man was HARD. 
 
Two memories immediately come to mind: 

One year when I was in undergrad I did particularly well; when I saw Uncle El, he asked me how I was doing in school.  I proudly pronounced that I had a 3.8.  Without hesitating his response was “Why isn’t it a 4.0?”   I was shocked (and more than a little ticked off) by his response but upon reflection the lesson was, humility. Even when you are doing well there is always room for improvement.  

Second memory was from the last time I saw him, which was in Janurary of 2019, for my swearing in ceremony after being elected State's Attorney for Howard County, MD.  I just finished giving my inauguration speech to a packed courtroom and was in the process of hugging my family and greeting friends in attendance.  When I got to my uncle I gave him a hug and the first thing he did was whisper in my ear “next time talk a little slower.” 

Uncle El, you will definitely be missed.  One of the hardships of Covid is that love ones don’t get to share any final moments with you and don’t get to say good bye.  May you rest in peace and rise in glory. 

I always find it incredibly difficult to write these types of tributes, but I will say that I am fortunate to be your niece. You didn’t mince words and were very clear with regards to what was expected of us, as members of the Gibson clan. It wasn’t always easy to hear what you had to say, but in retrospect, it was quite beneficial. 

As an adult, I think of you, my mom and mama when I have to be strong, determined and steadfast, ever mindful that because Gibson blood runs through my veins I am more than capable. So thank you, Uncle El, for instilling in me a sense of pride and conviction. I love you and may you rest in eternal peace.

P.S - On behalf of Steve, thanks for teaching him chess, which he tried unsuccessfully to teach me,  and for introducing him to golf. I know he enjoyed both of them immensely.

Before my family moved to Long Island as a kid,  one of my most vivid memories was how excited my cousins and I would become when we heard Uncle Elliot was coming to town, usually around the holidays. We would jump around and dance at the prospect of his visit & stories.
Fast forward a few years later & now we are all at Uncle Elliot’s house in Pleasantville New Jersey. When visiting Uncle Elliot as a kid, there were three things that stuck out the most:
 His wolf like dog Duke whom I viewed as a monster. When pulling into his driveway for the 1st time, I will never forget the dog being kept in the garage and being tall enough to look out of the garage door window which I am pretty sure was at least five to six feet above the floor. It always felt as if he was looking directly at me salivating at the prospect of the tasty new snack arriving to town. As it turns out, Duke was a great dog and was a lot of fun to be around once he warmed to you. 
Uncle Elliot introduced us to boating and fishing. I can remember going out with him a few times. In fact, I believe that is why my father would eventually go on to purchase a boat for our family. The thing I remember about boating with El was how fun it was until the fishing started. The minute he would open the squid or clam bellies to start fishing, my stomach would start flipping. That said, I do remember catching my very first fish, which was a flounder on Uncle El’s boat and how exciting that whole experience was, even while completely sea sick. This kindled and ignited my passion for fishing and enjoyment of the water, which I went on to enjoy with my dad & family so much afterwards.
Lastly, I can remember the joy of eating breakfast & meals with Aunt Loretta & Uncle Elliot. As I am sure my cousin Rodney can attest to, she was an unbelievable cook & the meals we shared at the table with Uncle El, Aunt Loretta & the family were some of my happiest of him.
May he rest in peace & fellowship in gods embrace & company!

 It is with mixed emotions of sorrow and pride,  that I review the life of my older brother El, as he is affectionately called in the immediate family. During childhood, it was he whom I revered and followed around, doing all the fun things --- good or otherwise --- that boys do.  Coming out of a family of humble beginnings, El was sufficiently intellectually blessed to win a scholarship to Combermere, one of the more prestigious secondary grammar schools in Barbados, where he performed with distinction. He blazed the way for us, his siblings, to follow, and coupled with sound guidance of poor but progressive parents, we were enabled to smash the bonds of impoverishment and capitalize on  the opportunities of upward social mobility. 

  El spent most of his adult life employed by FAA and was authorized to ground any plane that breached their regulations.  Once, I got the opportunity to accompany him on a flight. He sat at the back of the plane and smoked like a chimney. I questioned this strange behaviour and he admitted, to my astonishment, he was terrified of flying.
El survived to a deserving ripe age of 92 and fortunately, never lost his wit, his mental acuity nor his plans, as he contemplated his future. He has been a remarkable brother whose memory will always be held in highest esteem.  

OBITUARY

Elliott Lloyd Gibson

9 October, 1928 – 30 October, 2020

Grissom Funeral Home and Crematory

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