William Loren Gibbs

William “Loren” Gibbs, age 98, was once asked the secret to his longevity. He said he believed there were still lessons God wanted him to learn, and with a twinkle in his eye he said, “I guess I’m a slow learner because I have not yet passed all the tests.” On October 17, 2016, Loren passed the final exam and graduated with honors from this life to the next!

Loren was born on January 23, 1918 in Hendersonville, North Carolina. It was a cold, frosty morning the day his mother went into labor. His father was sent to get the doctor but he caught his bumper on the garage door and could not get free. By the time the doctor arrived, Loren’s grandmother had already delivered Loren and had dedicated his life to the Lord. Loren made his grand entrance weighing 12 pounds!

Loren was raised on the prairies of Eastern Montana where his family were ranchers and farmers. From early childhood he worked hard and was only able to attend one year of high school due to the demands of the farm. He carried the responsibility of a grown man while he was still very young.

Loren’s mother would teach her children Bible stories and he grew up wanting to become a Christian but did not know how. Then at age 20, an evangelist explained the plan of salvation in easy-to-understand language. Loren gave his life to Christ, was baptized in a stock tank, and served the Lord faithfully the rest of his life.

At age 22 he met the girl of his dreams and he and Dorothy eloped on July 14, 1940. Together, they raised four children, Bob, Jerry, Carolyn and Delbert, and were blessed with ten grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren. After 65 years of marriage, his beloved Dorothy went home to be with the Lord.

Several of Loren’s grandchildren were asked to describe their grandfather. Their answers included Godly, faithful, trustworthy, devoted to family, wise, pure, kind, strong, compassionate, full of gratitude, genuine, humble, moral, cheerful, warm. They remembered him for his unending love and devotion for his wife. One remarked how he enjoyed his grandpa’s storytelling and how grandpa’s eyes would light up when he would recount events of the past. Not a single unkind word could be found to describe their grandfather. What an amazing example he was, not only to his grandchildren but to all who knew him!

In the Gospel of John, Jesus said he was going to prepare mansions for us in Heaven. Loren often said he was not much interested in a big, fancy palace but if he could just have a nice, rustic cabin alongside a stream somewhere in the mountains with a small space for a garden, that would be heaven for him. If you close your eyes and use a little imagination, you may see Dorothy standing on the cabin porch scanning the horizon. She has learned that he is on his way and she is eagerly awaiting his arrival. In the kitchen there are pots and pans jumping up and down on all four burners plus a pie in the oven. And then, there he is, coming down the pathway with that great big smile none of us will ever forget. Finally, he is home at last.