Wanda Jean Gibson

Wanda Jean Gibson, age 81, passed away peacefully on November 19, 2025. She was born on September 20, 1944, in Port St. Joe, Florida—a small Gulf Coast town whose close-knit community shaped her lifelong warmth, strength, and devotion to family.

A longtime resident of Pensacola, Florida, Wanda built a life centered around love, faith, and generosity. She married a proud Navy Sailor, Chief James Gibson Jr., with whom she shared many blessings throughout their years together.

Wanda was preceded in death by her mother, Evelyn Williams, her father, Cawthon Williams, and her husband, James Gibson.

She is survived by her brother, Charles Williams, and two sons, James W. Gibson III (Melissa) and Russell W. Gibson, whom she loved fiercely. Wanda was a devoted grandmother to Katie Gibson Chew (Stephen), Krista Gibson Gardner, and Taylor Gibson (Brayden), and a proud great-grandmother to Beckett, Elijah, and Dean.

Those who knew Wanda will remember her as kind and generous, yet wonderfully stubborn and sassy in all the best ways. She loved her family with rare intensity—fiercely, loyally, and without hesitation. Her spirit was strong, her humor sharp, and her heart always open.

Wanda’s legacy lives on in the family she adored and in the countless lives she touched with her love, grit, and generosity. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

A memorial service will be held at Oak Lawn Funeral Home, 619 North New Warrington Road, Pensacola, Florida, 32506 on Monday, December 8, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation taking place an hour prior.