Maxine Gibb

Mom finally finished her journey to heaven on the morning of December 9th , 2025 as she wanted – at home with her family. She was born April 24, 1932 in the Kilgard area of Sumas Mountain. She was born on her parents’ farm as many were in those days. She was the youngest child of Charles and Stella Keeping, long time residents and pioneers of the Abbotsford area. Her father Charles was not just a farmer but also a Third Class Steam Boilers engineer and was involved in the draining of Sumas Lake in the 1920’s. Her mother Stella was a Straiton. Her father (mom’s grandfather) helped survey Sumas Mountain and eventually operated & owned the Straiton General Store and Post Office.

Mom was a shy, quiet child who had fond memories of playing in the small creek on their farm on Kilgard Road and having tea parties on the old cedar stump by the dairy. She attended both Kilgard and Upper Sumas School. Her handwriting was impeccable and was featured in the MacLeans Method of Writing Workbook which was used throughout Canada to teach penmanship. It was at Upper Sumas where she met Dad. They married on March 21, 1949, and moved to Whidbey Island in Washington State where Dad worked as a farm hand and Mom did a variety of jobs including housework and berry picking. They later moved back to the Fraser Valley and eventually settled on Kilgard Road close to her parents’ farm. It was this place where Mom had her beloved rock garden in the front yard. Her love for gardening lasted her whole life. Even this last Spring she talked about getting her hands back in the soil. She grew flowers but was known for her amazing vegetable garden, enjoying nothing more than to get up early while it was still quiet, and work in the vegetable patch.

Mom was always an incredibly hard worker, and when the family moved to Hudson’s Hope where Dad worked on the WAC Bennett Dam, she had numerous part time jobs including school bus driver. Mom was also a person that prepared ahead. Knowing that Hudson’s Hope was a very small town and the nearest proper grocery store was 60 miles away on a difficult road, she brought with her over 1000 jars of her own canning. There was meat, vegetables and fruit carefully preserved. Her family was going to be well fed!! It was in Hudson’s Hope that our folks were introduced to the movie theatre business where Dad ran the movie projectors part time after his regular full-time job and Mom sold tickets and ran the concession stand. Later, they moved to Fairview Alberta where they owned and operated the Gem Theatre. Eventually returning to their roots, Mom and Dad moved back to the Fraser Valley and opened and operated the Towne Cinema in 1974 in Abbotsford. The main vacation destination during this time was an annual trip to the Movie Theatre Convention in Las Vegas.

Though Mom was working a lot out of the home, the home fires did not suffer. We always had healthy delicious home cooked meals, the clothes washed and ironed, and of course, the house and yard were perfectly maintained. She encouraged her children to further their education and was always interested to know what was going on in her grandchildren’s lives. Mom was proud of her family, and we always knew she and Dad had “our backs”.

Mom often complained that Christmas came around too soon and yet she loved buying and giving presents. She insisted on making the family Christmas dinner herself for 20+ until she physically could not do it anymore. When the kids took over the family dinners, she learned to enjoy all those little ones who joined our family through the years. Babies were her favourite. She loved to hold them and smell that special scent of new life.

After selling and retiring from the movie theatre business, Mom increased the size of her garden, took a few big trips and spent a lot of time in Birch Bay, Washington where they had a small holiday trailer. During the last 21 years they lived in a suite on their daughter and son in law’s property. When Dad passed away in September of 2021, Mom’s life changed drastically. She had lost the man she had loved and cared for, for 72 years. This was a difficult transition for her as she was used to being a caregiver. During the last two years her physical and mental health declined dramatically which made it more difficult to enjoy life. She was so ready to go to heaven but wanted to be in her own home where she felt the most secure and comfortable. We would like to thank Dr. Greyling, and her amazing office team and the caring Abbotsford Community Health team for helping us to keep Mom at home and fulfill her final wishes.

Mom is predeceased by her husband Donald, sisters Nellie and Olive and brother Allan. Mom is survived by her daughter Donna (Ernie) Wall of Squamish, son Bill (Doris) Gibb of Armstrong, son Thom (Stephania) Gibb and daughter Linda (Ken) Schroeder, of Abbotsford. Also grandchildren: Mike Wall and Kim Scobie, Natalie Wall Pereman, Brian and Katherine Cyr, Andre and Chelsea Cyr, Mike and Erika Bzdel, Andrew Bzdel, David and Lisa Bzdel, Raegan and Ainsley Gibb, Travis and Candice Gibb, Quinton and Andrea Gibb, Karlee and Stuart Schellenberg, and Haylee and Matt Noel. Her great grandchildren: Montana, Paisley, Dennie, Wyatt, Hunter, Georgia, Jakob, Henry, Alexander, Jacob, Aidan, Gabriel, David, Camille, Meredith, Lauren, Emma, Gracey, Robbie, Benjamin, Nellee, Millee, Julian, Jolee, Rylee, and Ari.

There will be a small private service for Mom later in the spring. She always supported the Salvation Army so if you would like to donate in her honour, that woul