Queenie Elizabeth Gibson

Queenie Elizabeth Gibson, fondly known as Queenie, “Liz,” or “Lizabeth, to family and friends, and to her dad as “Queen,” was born in Prescott, Arkansas, the third child, and the first girl born to the union of the Reverend J. T. Gilmore and Mrs. Willie D. Duckett-Gilmore. Her husband of 59 years, Urel Gibson, Jr., parents, grandparents, and two brothers preceded her in death. At the tender age of eleven, she gave her life to Christ and was baptized the Holy Spirit at the Prescott Church of God in Christ (now Faith Temple COGIC), under the leadership of the Eld. Harry Brown. She loved God dearly and determined as a child that she wanted to love the Lord with her whole heart.

Elizabeth completed her early education in segregated schools, graduating from McRae High School in 1956 as valedictorian of her class. The school was named for Arkansas Governor McRae, who had set aside land for the building of a school for Blacks. After graduating from high school, Elizabeth enrolled at AM&N College in Pine Bluff, AR, where she pursued a major in English, graduating summa cum laude four years later with a B.A. in English. Elizabeth engaged in further studies at the University of Arkansas , Fayetteville in the early 1960s (American Literature and Modern English Grammar). After completing requirements for a master’s degree at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Gibson later continued her studies at the University of Kansas at Lawrence (journalism and literature) and Emporia State University (American folklore).

Elizabeth began her teaching career in 1960, a career which lasted over thirty years. She taught English from grades seven through twelve at Little River Training School (LRCTS) in Ashdown, AR. LRCT was one of the many schools throughout the South that American merchant and philanthropist, Julius Rosenwald, contributed $63 million for the building of schools to provide an education for Negroes. When Elizabeth retired from her job at Harmon High School (USD 500) in 1999, she ended a teaching career that spanned almost four decades of teaching English and journalism in three states: Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. In addition to teaching at the high school level, Elizabeth also taught English and New Testament Survey for several years at the C.H. Mason Bible Institute of the COGIC. One of the highlights of her career was a high school teacher was having some of her former students, who had enrolled at universities such as KU, Harvard, Northwestern, and other prestigious schools, share that they had competed successfully against students from all socio-economic groups as a result of having sat under her tutelage.

On June 27, 1964, Elizabeth was united in holy matrimony to Urel Gibson, Jr., and to this union one son, Lyle E. Gibson, was born; he was the joy of her life. Shortly after marriage, the couple moved to Kansas City, Kansas, where Elizabeth landed a job immediately in the KCMO School District (Central H.S., Manual H.S. and M.L. King, Jr. JHS. Gibson joined the Emmanuel Temple COGIC, under the leadership of the Rev. T.L. Pleas, where she served faithfully for 20 years and developed lasting relationships with its membership. At Emmanuel, she served as associate pianist, choir member, and superintendent of the Sunday School. She occu- pied the role of “Big Sister” to the youth of Emmanuel Temple. She would later transfer her membership to the Mt. Carmel COGIC, under the leadership of then Rev.Ervin Sims, Jr., a former member of Emmanuel Temple, who would later bear the title of Bishop Ervin Sims of the Ghana West Africa Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the COGIC. Elizabeth was later known as “Mother Gibson,” and served her church in various capacities. At Mt. Carmel, she served as president of the Missionary Circle and the Intercessory Prayer Team (one of the founders), as member of the Mother’s Board, and the Mt. Carmel Board of Directors.

Elizabeth’s life of service also included other positions on the district and jurisdictional levels. She served as jurisdictional president of the Kansas East Mother’s Board and chairman of the Licensing Board of the Kansas East Department of Women, under the leadership of two Supervisors, the late Mo. Roberta D. Thuston and Mo. Mary K. Sims . Later she also served as District Missionary to the historic Kansas City, KS District of Kansas East.

In her youth, Elizabeth had developed a passion for travel, accompanying her parents and siblings to various places in Arkansas as well as other states. Among the trips that remained in her memory was the visit to Boley, OK, an all-Negro town, where one of her dad’s cousins owned a hardware/furniture store. Her first trip abroad was in 1977, when she journeyed to Israel and Rome with a group led by the late Bishop S. R. Chambers of KCMO. She returned to Israel in 1983 with the late Morris Cerullo World Evangelism. Walking in the footstep of Jesus up to the steps of the temple was the joy of a lifetime. Her foreign travel experiences took her to such countries as Senegal and Ghana, West Africa, China, Rome, Israel, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic, In 1993, as part of an American delegation, she accompanied the late Nora Lam on a trip to China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. One of the highlights of the trip to Beijing attending the premiere showing of Lam’s biographical movie, China Cry, before an official delegation of Chinese political leaders overseeing the arts in China. In addition to traveling, Elizabeth enjoyed reading, writing, and solving word puzzles, playing scrabble, and collecting bells and antiques.

After retiring from teaching, Gibson was inspired to establish Cushani Publishing, Inc., a self-publishing company. Among the books that she published were several that she wrote. The first book was a book which emerged from her son Lyle’s master’s thesis on the resilience of the Black family during and after American slavery, Black Tie, White Tie: Chronicle of an American Family, 1739-1940. Other titles included ABCs for the New Convert(which the late Bish. Sims described as the best book he had ever read for new converts), A Handbook for Women in Ministry, and Mothers in Zion: A Resource for Church Mothers. Her autobiographical book, My Strength, My Shield, My Song, published in 2017, chronicled personal experiences that taught her how to really trust in God. Three other books awaited her attention: Chosen Vessels in Cracked Clay Pots: In Reach of the Greater Glory, and the biography of her deceased older brother, Midnight Miracle Awards and affiliations consist of the following: Who’s Who Among America’s College Students (1960); Member of Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society; a Rhodes Scholar Nominee in 1960; Who’s Who’s Among America’s Teachers (1995 and 1996); National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Wyandotte County teachers of English; Journalism Educators of America, J.C. Harmon HS, USD 500 K.C., KS., Teachers of Tomorrow Teacher of the Year Award, 1999,Harmon H.S., and associate Fulbright Hays GPA Scholar, 1999, Senegal, West Africa, where she studied the literature of West Africa relative to the history of West Africa; Member of the Greater KC Chapter of the AM&N/UAPB Alumni Association and the AM&N/UAPB National Association.

Elizabeth leaves to cherish her memory and celebrate her life: one son, Lyle E. Gibson, Raymore, MO; one daughter, Lisa Johnson, Blue Springs, MO; four grandchildren, Camron J. Gilmore-Gibson, Cynae Elizabeth Gibson of Raymore, MO; Brandon Wilkerson of St. Charles, MO and Jaylon Johnson, Blue Springs, MO; great grandchildren Brandon (BJ) and Avery Wilkerson; two sisters, Lillie M. Gilmore and Cerceader “Cedie” L. Gilmore of Pine Bluff AR; one brother, Willie H. Gilmore (Irma) of Mansfield, TX; one niece, Kimberly Madkins, EdD (Cameron) of San Antonio, TX, four nephews, Willie H. Gilmore, Jr. of Dallas, TX; Darryl E. Gilmore, DDS of Mansfield, TX; Roderick S. Gilmore, Pine Bluff, AR; John M. Gilmore, MS, Atlanta, GA; a special friend, Sharon Fort of Texarkana, AR; a Big-sister cousin, Supervisor Lendora Early of Crossett, AR; two “special” daughters and one “special” son, Alcea E. Waller, KC, MO, and Diane and Curtis Banks, KC,KS.

A visitation will be held at Chapel Hill - Butler Funeral Home, located at 701 North 94th Street, Kansas City, Kansas, 66112, on September 5, 2025, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Additional visitation will take place at Mt. Carmel Church of God in Christ, 2025 N 12 St, Kansas City, KS, 66104, on September 6, 2025, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.

The Home Going Service will follow at Mt. Carmel Church of God in Christ, 2025 N 12th Street, Kansas City, Kansas, 66104, on September 6, 2025, starting at 1:00 pm. Burial in the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.