Kathleen E. Ferris

Other Events:

• Name: Kathleen E. Gibbons
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-218307

Kathleen — Gomer Clark Gibbons. Gomer was born 7 Apr 1914, Southampton, Saugeen Twp., Bruce Co., Ontario; died 26 Apr 1988, Lucknow, Kinloss Twp., Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada; was buried , Greenhill Cemetery, Lucknow, Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-218296

Notes:

Lifetimes: Bob Gibbons made time for everyone he met

By Valerie Hill Special to the Record

There was an exuberance about Bob Gibbons that was impossible to quell.

"He was very charismatic and well-loved by everybody he came in contact with," said son, Matthew Gibbons. "He had a very distinct sense of humour."

Bob's zest for life, his sense of drama, was fostered while growing up in Elmira where he competed in music festivals with his violin, acted in plays and even sang cowboy songs on street corners.

"Bob was most at home being in front of a crowd," said his wife, Nancy Gibbons.

Bob was born in Elmira on Jan. 19, 1937, an only child. Nancy said no one seems to know why people started calling him Robert and Bob, given his birth name was Donald Clark Gibbons, but it stuck. His father, Gomer Gibbons, ran a successful auto repair shop in Elmira.

After high school, Bob used his talents to find broadcasting jobs at small-town radio stations, announcing everything from who died in the community to the weather report. The latter often required him to stand on the station's roof to see how fast the wind was blowing and check a tin can to determine how much precipitation had fallen.....

Bob had been previously married and had a daughter, Lisa. With Nancy, he had two more children: Matthew and Elizabeth, who has autism.

The couple lived in Etobicoke with Bob commuting to the CBC studios where his creative spirit brought Canadians some iconic shows including The Friendly Giant and Mr. Dressup.

Bob also learned how to make documentaries, largely telling Canadian stories but also producing shorter films for friends, strangers and charities.

Despite his success, Bob had felt one thing was missing.

"He said 'I never went to university, I wish I could go,'" recalled Nancy.

Bob was in his 50s when he completed a year of university preparation studies, then went on to get his undergraduate degree in 1990, a master's degree three years later and finally, a Ph.D., completed in 2003. His degrees were in applied psychology, a field he didn't plan on pursuing as a career.....

Retiring in 1991, Bob volunteered with the not-for-profit advisory group, Canadian Executive Services Overseas, serving in Estonia, Guyana and Bolivia. ...

"He made us all laugh, people gravitated to him," she said, adding Bob made an effort to get to know her parents and to patronize their restaurant. One of the last things he said to Effie was how much he valued her parents.

"He was interested in everyone he met," said Nancy.

The gregarious Bob, a gardener who loved puttering in his yard, suffered a stroke several years ago and in the past four years, his health deteriorated. He died on Jan. 3, 2021.

"Lifetimes: Bob Gibbons Made Time For Everyone He Met". 2021. Therecord.Com. https://www.therecord.com/life/2021/02/08/lifetimes-bob-gibbons-made-time-for-everyone-he-met.html.