Burke Frederick Gibson, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on February 2, 2022 at the age of 96 in his hometown of Bellevue, Washington. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Dolores; his son Scott; his son Bruce and his wife Lynn; and his three grandchildren, Burke II, Grant, and Cody.
Burke was born on December 9, 1925 at Swedish Hospital in Seattle to George Frederick Gibson and Erma Vivian Doerrer. He graduated from Garfield High School before joining the Army in 1944, where he trained as a tail gunner on a B-24. He later attended the University of Washington, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1949.
He married his wife, Dee (Dolores Mae Foley), on March 21, 1959 at the Washington Athletic Club. The two were rarely apart throughout their marriage. Shortly after the wedding, they moved to Mercer Island where they raised their two sons. In 1989, they moved to Bellevue.
Some of Burke’s proudest accomplishments were building his two companies, Burke Gibson, Inc. (BGI) and Fatigue Technology, Inc. (FTI), at which he worked until his retirement at the age of 83. He was lucky enough to work with his closest friend and confidant Eric Pucher, with whom he spent countless hours and shared an unbreakable bond. Burke was thrilled to have his two sons join him in the family businesses, and, alongside them, he ran the companies for over forty years with his signature strategy of “surrounding myself with people smarter than I am.”
“Gib,” as his many friends affectionately called him, loved traveling to Europe with Dee, as well as sailing and hiking with his sons. He deeply cared for his children and grandchildren, coaching his sons’ soccer teams and rarely missing his grandsons’ sporting events. Always quick to make a joke—whether it was a winner or would fall flat—he made friends, family, and strangers laugh wherever he went.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 19, 2022, at The Golf Club at Newcastle in the St. Andrews Ballroom located at 15500 Six Penny Lane Newcastle, WA 98059 from 1 PM to 4 PM. Tributes will commence at 2:00 PM.
Family has requested that flowers not be sent at this time.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the Gibson family may be shared at www.acaciafuneralhome.com.
