Don F. Gibbs

Longtime Cave Junction resident, Don F. Gibbs, age 81, died Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at a Grants Pass care facility.

A visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday, June 2, 2008 at Illinois Valley Funeral Directors.

A funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at Community Bible Church in Cave Junction with Pastor Dan Robinson officiating. Private interment will be at Laurel Cemetery.

Remembrances may be made to American Parkinson’s Disease Association, 135 Parkinson Avenue, Staten Island, New York 10305.

Don was born July 5, 1926 in Humboldt, Arizona to Fredric & Emily Pearl Gibbs. In 1943 he enlisted in the United States Navy and was honorably discharged in 1947. He attended the University of Arizona and in 1946 graduated from the University of Southern California. In June 1946 he married Sheryn Kimball. He worked for General Electric Company in New York, Pennsylvania, and San Diego, California until 1951. In 1951 he moved to the Illinois Valley to purchase and operate Redwoods Telephone Company where he was President and Manager until the sale of the company in 1974. For five years he owned and operated Valley Readymix & Gravel in Cave Junction until 1979. He then created Gibbs Enterprises, a family corporation, which remains active in local real estate investments.

His many memberships included board member and vice-president of Oregon Independent Telephone Association, board member of Illinois Valley Golf Association; Board of directors for Rogue Community College; past member of budget committee for Josephine County Unit School District; past member of Josephine County Unit School District Transportation Committee; Josephine County Road Specifications Committee; board member of Laurel Cemetery Association; and a founding board member of Home Valley Bank.

He was a generous supporter of numerous local individuals and of many charitable organizations, most notably Community Christian Academy.

Survivors include four sons, Randy Gibbs of Eureka, California, Wayne Gibbs of Austin, Texas, Bruce Gibbs of Grants Pass, and Allan Gibbs of Eugene; two daughters, Cynthia Munson of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Donyne Bell of Cave Junction; ten grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

he was preceded in death by his former wife in 2001 and an infant grandson in 1990.