Born on the 23rd of March 1935, in Georgetown, Texas, to Winchell Buck and Ella Jane Gibbs, his life was defined by his hard work ethic.
John began his career in Victoria with DuPont as a machinist before training and accepting the role as an instrument/electrician technician. John retired from DuPont after a successful 35-year career. He took pleasure in working on everything from a spinning reel to a diesel bulldozer.
He is survived by his devoted and loving wife of 71 years, Sue Shilling Gibbs, his two sons, John D Gibbs and Glenda of Victoria, Jimmy L Gibbs and wife Sandra of New Braunfels, six grandchildren, Jason Gibbs and wife Jennifer, Katie Gohlke and husband Shaye, Jimmy Gibbs Jr, Jodee Daulton and husband Ian, Catherine Trevino and husband Robby and Neal Albritton and wife Victoria, thirteen great-grandchildren, Emma Gibbs, Kaitlyn Gibbs, Felicity Daulton, Eli Daulton, Aubrey Daulton, Timothy Daulton, Hannah Hendricks, Charlotte Gohlke, Brooklyn Gohlke, Karoline Gohlke, Rhea Trevino, Caden Trevino and Harper Albritton, nephew Roy B Shilling and Scott VanCleave, niece Diana Boroughs and Nancy Shilling.
He met the love of his life while at Reagan County High School in Big Lake, Texas. They were married by Sue’s father in Big Lake, Texas, on February 20th, 1954, and the rest is history.
John loved the outdoors, traveling to New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, Quebec, Canada, and old Mexico with friends and family to fish and hunt. He was one of the fifty-seven competitors in the original Guadalupe River Safari, paddling a canoe from San Marcos to the San Antonio Bay, canoe number 107 as seen on the cover of Life Magazine. It was known by family and friends that his vacations were really to look for another place to hunt or fish. John loved going to his ranch on the Guadalupe, where he raised mostly Brahma cattle. He could outwork a much younger person (usually his sons) in the middle of the summer. He was proud of his fishing abilities and held an International Spin Fishing Association World Record for catching a 9 lb. 12 oz. speck/trout on 2 lb. test line. However, he has a larger one hanging on his wall. John was honored to have been a member of the Mason Lodge since 1956.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with family from nine o’clock until ten o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 22nd of August, at Rosewood Funeral Chapel, followed by a funeral service at ten o’clock. Mr. James Coker will officiate. A graveside service will be held at Memory Gardens Cemetery with the Masonic Lodge #40 AF & AM conducting their final rites.
Serving as pallbearers are Jason Gibbs, Jimmy Gibbs Jr., Jodee Daulton, Shaye Gohlke, Gerald Schilhab, and Dale Schneider.
We invite you to take a few moments to share fond memories and words of comfort and condolence with the family at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com
