Jerry Lee Gibson

Jerry was born on January 27, 1934 in Mt. Vernon, IL to the late Everett and Ruth Gibson. He spent his childhood there and graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1952. He planned to become a professional musician after high school because of his love of music, having been first chair violinist in his large high school orchestra; however, his strong academic record along with his sports and leadership activities led to an appointment at the US Naval Academy that changed his life.

When Jerry was five years old, a Ford Trimotor sold short flights around town for 50 cents using a grass field runway near the city park. Jerry had his first ride. That hooked him on flying for the rest of his life. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1956, he was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the US Air Force. He completed primary and basic pilot training near Tucson, Arizona then Big Spring, Texas. He logged over 19,500 hours within a 15-year flying career.

He was sent to Malmstrom AFB, Montana for a customized graduate school in aerospace engineering while also being a combat crew commander (MCCC) for the brand-new Minuteman Missiles. He was the MCCC who stood the very first watch for a Minuteman Missile on strategic alert ready to fire during the peak of the Cuban Missile Crisis in DEFCON 3. As an Apollo astronaut candidate, he made it through all the cuts up to the very last one when 16 of the last 30 were selected. All of them had more than 2500 hours in supersonic airplanes while Jerry had flown slower training airplanes. He then participated in a back to the cockpit effort by the Air Force and became a T-38 flight instructor at Reese AFB, Texas. Jerry’s last Air Force position was as a check pilot with students qualifying for wings in the T-38s. He always said that was by far the most enjoyable job he ever had.

In 1965, United Airlines made him an offer he couldn’t refuse as a Captain and flight instructor in their Denver training center. After leaving United, he then went into the Motivational Speaking and Sales training business. He later joined the telecommunications industry and was the founding Director of Government Systems for MCI which brought him to the Washington DC area in 1980. He retired in 1994 and spent most of his retired years in Fuquay-Varina, NC. After retiring, he served several years in his last career as an ordained minister in his church. Recently he said that his most important career was being a professional grandpa and his most important legacy was his family.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his two oldest children Michael Allen Gibson, Christopher Lee Gibson and his sister Karen Chesebro.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Carol Gibson; his children Steve Gibson, Linda (Bruce) Peabody, Robin (Carroll) Moseley, Tammy (James) Edgemond, Jamie (Michelle) Gibson, Keith (Tracy) Gibson, Susan Gibson; his 3 step-children Cynthia (John) Thompson, Deborah (Chris) Bardeen, Don (Brittney) Chesworth; his 19 Grandchildren Hayley, Thomas, Brennan, Summer, Brittany, Jordan, Tara, Sawyer, Megan, Cameron, Kalley, Amanda, Ryan, Cory, Haydon, Savannah, Gracie, Noey, Jac; his 10 great-grandchildren Payson, Jackson, Rowan, Lincoln, Lexi, Sutton, Halston, Bear, Koa and Crew.

Family will receive friends and guests on Friday, February 9, 2024 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. A memorial service in honor of Jerry will immediately follow at 4:00 PM at Fuquay Varina United Methodist Church, 100 S Judd Pkwy SE, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites gifts in memory of Jerry which will be used to support the R3 Centrum Ramp project. Helping people with limited mobility have access to the centrum stage was important to Jerry as he loved to sing in the choir. Memorial donations may be made online at fvumc.org/give. Please designate Jerry Gibson in the Notes field.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy can be shared below within “Add a Memory” for the Gibson family.