Marian Gibbs

Marian Louise Hallock was born in Salida, Colorado on April 2, 1923, the oldest of two daughters born to Dorothy A. Gibson and J. DeVerne Hallock. Her father was a letter carrier, and decided to move the family in 1928 to Albuquerque, New Mexico because, as she told me, "He hated delivering mail in the snow." Marian's childhood was deeply affected by her sister Virginia's childhood illness, which shaped Marian into the caregiver we children found in our wonderful mother. For Virginia's health, the family moved to sea level--to West Palm Beach, Florida in 1940. Marian stayed behind in order to graduate with her class in 1941, then joined the family in Florida. She attended Palm Beach Junior College, completed her associates degree in 1943, and became a reporter with the Palm Beach Post. Her college days were notable for one incident which happened at a "mixer" dance, when she asked John Allison Gibbs to dance, receiving the reply "I don't know how." This inauspicious beginning was rekindled when Marian, by now working for the draft board, recognized the young soldier who walked in with "Why, it's John Allison Gibbs!" This time good things happened, and John and Marian married on April 3, 1944. John went overseas with the 517the airborne, and eventually becoming part of the occupation force in Berlin. After the war, John and Marian moved to Fr. Collins, CO to attend Colorado A&M (now Colorado State). Marian worked a number of jobs while John attended college, including an old-fashioned "number, please!" switchboard at Bell Telephone Company. Michael Hallock, their first child, was born in Fort Collins. When John graduated (Civil Engineering), he got a job with American Bridge Company, and the family moved to Trenton, NJ, where they were living when Kathleen, was born. While Marian was pregnant with their third child, they bought their first home in Fairless Hills, PA. Jeffrey Alan, Daniel Edward, and James Verne were all born while the family was living in Fairless Hills. As a child Marian occasionally went to church, but she had never been baptized. In April, 1952, she, John, and the three children they had then, were all baptized at Bethany Lutheran Church in Trenton, NJ. Marian remained a devoted Christian to the end of her life. The family remained active members of Bethany until they moved in 1964. John's job took the family to Gary, IN, but only for 2 years. In 1964, John then became Plant Engineer of the American Bridge plant in Orange, TX, where John and Marian remained until 2012. They were very active members of Grace Lutheran Church. Marian enjoyed teaching 5/6th grade Sunday school. For years she was the volunteer church secretary (how well I remember her typing mimeo forms -- with very few corrections, since in her day, error-free typing was required!). As a member of the LWML she helped assemble Braille materials and visited local nursing homes. Marian and John traveled every year to visit their children and grandchildren. Marian loved bird watching, and was a voracious reader. Her favorite April Fool's Day joke (which I, at least, fell for over and over!) was to come and ask us to see the bluebird she just saw! In 2012, John and Marian moved to St. Louis, owing to increasing health problems. John died in 2012. Marian lived at Charter Senior Living (formerly Provision Living) until her death on April 30, 2019. Marian was a loving, witty, intelligent, and kind person. She, of course, was a sinner like the rest of us-that's why she knew she needed Christ. Marian is survived by 5 children (and their 5 spouses), 12 grandchildren, and a whole bunch of great-grand-children. We will miss her, and "we look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come." Friday May 10, 2019
09:00 am - 10:00 am
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
2650 Miami Street St. Louis, Missouri 63118
Friday April 10, 2019
10:00 am -
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
2650 Miami Street St. Louis, Missouri 63118