John William Gibson

John William Gibson, age 88, of Irmo, South Carolina, went home to be with the Lord on January 20, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Myrtle Beach on March 17, 1937, he was the son of the late William Clyde and Dorothy Chestnut Gibson. He grew up in Florence and graduated from McClenaghan High School in 1955.

After attending Mars Hill College for two years, John proudly enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. While overseas, he traveled to London, where he met the love of his life, Pamela Greaves. Their story was one of true devotion. Pamela accepted his marriage proposal and chose to leave London to build a life with John in Florence. They married on October 21, 1960, and remained best friends throughout their 65 years of marital bliss.

In 1975, John earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Francis Marion University. He built a long and successful career with DuPont, where he worked faithfully for 38 years before retiring.

Over the years, he faithfully served in numerous leadership roles at Immanuel Baptist Church and the Church of Sandhurst, including Chairman of the Finance Committee, the Nominating Committee, and Board of Deacons. John was a member of Riverland Hills Baptist Church and lived each day with a servant’s heart.

John traveled to Charleston and New Orleans to help communities recover after devastating hurricanes. He also found immense joy in sharing the Gospel during his many mission trips to South America, where he ministered in remote villages and jungles.

John never met a stranger. He had a gift for making people feel seen and valued from the very first conversation. With his warm smile and genuine interest in others, he built friendships wherever he went. His kindness and reassuring presence brought comfort to everyone who knew him.

He treasured his family and made countless memories with them through travel and quality time spent together. He loved teaching his children and grandchildren how to play tennis and golf, and most importantly the “proper” way to fish. He especially enjoyed the beach, where fishing and family were always the perfect combination.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Pamela Rose Gibson; his son, John William Gibson, Jr. (Paula), and their sons, William Burris Gibson, and Sam Patrick Gibson; and his daughter, Beth Gibson Bauknight, and her daughter, Abby Elaine Bauknight. In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his brother, Marion Clyde Gibson.

His family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the many caregivers who brought him comfort and lovingly cared for him during his last few months.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, February 15th, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, 7600 Woodrow Street, Irmo, SC, with visitation one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s memory to one of his favorite charities: Smile Train (www.smiletrain.org) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).