Joseph Gibson

Joseph P. Gibson, our dear father and grandfather, went to his eternal home on June 28, 2012, surrounded by his family. Joe was born on June 12, 1924, to Joseph and Elsie (Wolf) Gibson in Oshkosh, WI. On April 14, 1951, Joe married Rosemary P. Snell in Oshkosh, WI, and they celebrated 53 years of marriage together before her death on November 26, 2004.

Joe was a veteran of the U. S. Army, the 32nd Division, 243rd Ordinance Service Battalion. He proudly fought for the freedom we enjoy during the WWII conflict.

After the war, Joe returned to Oshkosh where he shared his skills and talents with several local companies. Always an entrepreneur, he started several of his own businesses and was also a real estate developer. Joe was an avid reader and had a passion for life that was exhibited through his many hobbies and interests. As a young man, he earned his pilot’s license. He was a longtime member of EAA and over the years, owned many vintage classic airplanes. Even after he was no longer able to fly, he continued to enjoy restoring airplanes and buying and selling parts. An avid hunter and fisherman, Joe looked forward to deer hunting season each year and spending time at the cabin in Antigo with his sons and grandsons. After Joe retired, his love for the outdoors led him, Rosemary and their son, Chris, to a new adventure in Columbia Falls, Montana, where Joe accepted a position with Glacier National Park – his dream job. Joe used his carpentry skills to build a Swiss chalet home where they lived for seven years until the birth of their grandchildren called them back to Wisconsin. Joe then built another house on the Embarrass River with his own air strip. He and Rosemary made Caroline, WI, their home before finally settling back in Oshkosh.

Joe is survived by five sons: Mike (Barb), Oshkosh, WI; Steve (Diane), Princeton, WI; Dan (Debbie), Omro, WI; Tim, Fort Myers Beach, FL; and
Chris (Carol), De Pere, WI. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Rob (Indra Singh), Matt (Lindsay), Jessica (Pat) Judkins, Jake (Ashley), Ben, Nick and Chloe, and one great grandchild, Carter. He is further survived by two brothers and sisters-in-laws, Don and Elaine Gibson and Jim and Phyllis Gibson, all of Oshkosh, nieces, nephews, cousins and many great friends.

In addition to his wife Rosemary, Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Elsie Gibson, his mother and father-in-law, John and Priscilla Snell, his sister-in-law, Betty (Burdick) Beck and two brothers-in-law, Robert Burdick and Earl Beck.

Visitation for Joe will be held on Wednesday, July 11, 2012, from 4 - 6:30 p.m. at St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, 830 Westhaven Dr., Oshkosh. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 6:30 p.m., with Fr. Doug LeCaptain officiating. Full Military Honors will follow. Burial will take place at Lake View Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Oshkosh.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Silver Birch Ranch/Nicolet Bible Institute (MAP) Aviation Program.

The Gibson family would like to thank Fr. Doug LeCaptain, Fr. Luke Ferris, Sr.
Margrit Immoos, Pastor Greg Decker and Fr. Tim Shillcox as well as the staff members of Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Oshkosh and Green Bay, Eden Meadows, and Oakwood Manor for the prayers and the care and concern shown to Dad in the last weeks of his life. May God bless you for your kindness.

We’ll miss you Dad, but know you are now with Mom in God’s loving care, and we look forward to the day when our family will all be together again.