Gary Lauer Gibbs

Gary Lauer Gibbs, died Friday, March 4, at his home in Mt. Pleasant after a short battle with lung cancer. He was born in Burlington on May 5, 1939, the oldest child of Ronald and Margaret Lauer Gibbs of Mt. Union. He graduated from Mt. Union High School in 1957 and serviced in the U.S. Air Force from 1959 to 1963. In 1962 he married Aleita Linder in Morning Sun. They later divorced. On November 28, 1975 he married Sherril Totemeier in Yarmouth. Before going into the Air Force, Gary attended Parson College in Fairfield and in 1976-77 he was a student at Frontier School of the Bible in LaGrange, Wyoming. In 1977 Gary started farming his paternal family farm near Mt. Union and his maternal family farm near Winfield. In 1999 he moved to Mt. Pleasant and for the past 20 years he has been a courier for Quest Diagnostics, a medical laboratory. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Yarmouth and became a passionate follower of Jesus Christ in 1974. He loved his 5 daughters and delighted in his grandchildren and was known as "Grandpa" to many international students from Iowa Wesleyan College. In his spare time he loved watching NASCAR on TV. Besides his wife, Gary is surviv...[more]

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by 5 daughters: Tammy (Neil) Smith of Mt. Union, Lisa (Dave) Oetken and Tina (Tim) Hill of Mt. Pleasant, Vonya (Oscar) Dupuy and Hope (Raul) Mozo of Waukegan, IL. He also has 9 grandchildren; Samantha, Michelle and Zach Smith, Alex, Christian and Olivia Oetken, Savannah Jolowski, and Khali and Ava Dupuy. Other survivors include 2 brothers; Ron (Joyce) Gibbs of Burlington, Fred Gibbs of Waxhaw, N.C. and a sister; Sylvia (Lynn) Haines of Fort Mill S.C. His parents and grandparents preceded him in death. Friends may call after 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday at Calvary Baptist Church Mt. Pleasant, with the family receiving friends one hour prior to the service. The funeral for Mr. Gibbs will be held at 3:00 p.m. Pastors Oscar Dupuy, Mike Hess and Paul Hooks will officiate. Military rites will be conducted by the Henry County Honor Guard and a meal will be held immediately following the service in the Fellowship Hall. Private burial will be held in Winfield Scott Cemetery. A memorial has been established.