Patricia G Gibson

Pat was born November 2, 1938 in Evansville to William Goebel Gooch and Mary Jane (Estes) Gooch. She attended Baker School until the Third Grade when the family moved to Spencer County. She attended Midway School until her father’s death in 1952 at which time the family moved to Evansville. She graduated from Central High School in 1956, where she sang in the Choir, was Sports Editor of the Centralian, and was one of the first HoneyBears. For the next two years she worked for the Public Health Nursing Association.

In 1958 she began achieving her dream of becoming a nurse when she enrolled in the Deaconess School of Nursing. Pat always remembered fondly the patient experiences she gained on affiliation at Riley Hospital, Madison State Hospital, and Cold River Springs VA Hospital. She graduated in 1961 as a Registered Nurse, and worked in various capacities at Deaconess-including Assistant Head Nurse of Pediatrics from 1962-66. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Evansville in 1970, and in the fall of 1970 she began her 32-year career in Nursing Education. She taught Pediatrics and Freshman Nursing at the Deaconess School of Nursing from 1970-1990. During that time she was named a finalist for a national internship in Pediatrics at St. Jude’s Hospital. In 1990 she joined the faculty of the Ivy Tech Practical Nursing Program where she taught until her retirement in 2002. In addition, she earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Indiana State University in 1983.

She married Thomas E. Gibson on June 17, 1972, and he preceded her in death in 2001. She was also preceded in death by her parents, aunts and uncles, her siblings, William G. Gooch Jr. and Joyce (Gooch) Finch, and her step-grandson Marc Henning.

Pat was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ Downtown, and had served on the Church Council and was active in the Women’s Guild. She was a Pink Lady with the Deaconess Auxiliary and volunteered in the Deaconess Archives.

Pat was a wonderful Mom, Grandma, nurse, teacher, and friend, and she will be missed greatly.

Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Deena Gibson of Evansville, grandsons Landon and Carson Gibson, stepdaughter Linda Henning and her husband Van of Crossville, Illinois, step-grandsons Alex Henning of Tullahoma, Tennessee and Eric Henning of Kansas City, Missouri, her uncle Ewald Stocky of Evansville, sisters-in-law Shirley Gooch of West Hills, California, Hilda Gibson of Lynnville, and Martha Robb of Princeton, brothers-in-law Bob Finch of Mundelein, Illinois, and Wayne Gibson of Fort Branch, and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Services will be 9:00 AM Saturday, September 17, 2011 at Alexander West Chapel, officiated by Rev. John Branam, with burial at Park Lawn Cemetery. Friends may visit from 2:00 to 8:00 PM Friday, September 16, 2011 at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Patricia G. Gibson Nursing Scholarship. Special thanks to the staff at Davita North Dialysis and West River Health Campus.