Memorial services for Charles “Chick” Gibson, 89, of Jefferson, former Paton resident, will be 3:00 pm Thursday April 20, 2006 at Salem United Methodist Church in Paton, Iowa.  Burial will be at the Paton Twp. Cemetery.

Visitation with his family begins at 2:00 pm Thursday at Salem United Methodist Church in Paton, until service time.  Following the burial, visitation with the family will resume at the Shriver Community Center. 

 

Charles Wendell “Chick” Gibson was born May 15, 1916 at home near Scranton, Iowa.  He was the son of John Earl Gibson and Emily Stark Gibson. 

Chick worked on the farm as a kid.  He attended school in Scranton where he played football, basketball and baseball.  He graduated from Scranton High School in 1934.

After high school, Chick moved to San Francisco where he worked at a meat plant stacking hides.  He stood in line for hours and days trying to get a job at the steel mill and was approached by the head man, who saw Chick play baseball. If Chick agreed to play ball on the company team, he would get a job at the steel mill, eventually working there for two years.

On May 15, 1943, Chick entered the United States Navy.  He was a Machinist’s Mate Third Class on a submarine until his honorable discharge on January 11, 1946.  Eleven days later, Chick, at home, married Janice Waddell on January 22, 1946 in Boone, Iowa.  Father-in-law, Doc Waddell, helped Chick in his recovery after returning home from World War II.

Chick farmed 274 acres in Greene County.  In 1956, with the help of his hired man, Clarence Godwin, a carpenter and some neighbors, Chick built a chicken house 128 feet long by 30 feet wide.  The building housed more than 2500 chickens.  Chick was now in the egg business.  He raised 150 – 200 hogs each year, as well as stock cows.  Through the years he also had a sheep herd and raised lambs.

On March 31, 1972, Chick went through Foley’s saw and tooth maintenance school.  He operated a small saw sharpening business.

In 1985, Chick retired and moved to Paton.  He lived there until November 2, 2004 when he became a resident at the Jefferson Manor.  He died there April 16, 2006 at the age of 89 years.

During his lifetime, Chick had several hobbies including woodworking projects, crafts, and picking thousands of walnuts every fall.  He enjoyed fishing in the river, gravel pits, lakes, and in his elder years at Spring Lake. Chick was an avid Hawkeye fan.

Chick was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Janice; a granddaughter, Michelle Gibson; a great-granddaughter, Casey Ann Gibson; two brothers: John Robert and Wayne; and a sister, Ruth.

Survivors include four children: Ned Gibson and wife Angie of Gowrie; Sue Brinkman and husband Joe of Greene; Joe Gibson and friend Mimi of Henderson, NV; and Jill Rose and husband Jim of Jefferson; nine grandchildren: Joanne Hunter and husband Brian; Brian Gibson and wife Amy; Megan and Lindsay Brinkman; Zack Smith; Alyssa, Blake, Brandon and Ben Gibson; and two great-grandchildren: Colby Hunter and Carson Gibson.