Mildred Gibson

Mildred "Faye" Gibson, 91, entered eternal life on June 15, 2016 at her home with her family around her. Faye was the second of nine children born to Steele and Adele Thames in Wichita Falls, Texas on November 1, 1924. Faye grew up happily with her family on the farm in Wichita Falls, Dickens, Alvord, and Decatur, Texas. She graduated from Alvord High School in 1941. When she was 21, she went to Yokohama, Japan to work with the Department of War. Later she served in Guam and once again in Japan. In 1952, she attended the University of Texas at Austin. Faye graduated in 1955 with a degree in sociology. In 1957, Faye began working with the State Department and was sent to Tunis, Tunisia in September. At the embassy, a handsome red-haired U.S. Marine opened the door for her. George "Red" Gibson, from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts became the love of her life. They were married in February of 1959 in Tunis. When Red's tour in Tunis was over, they moved to Camp Le Jeune in North Carolina. Later, they moved to Decatur, Texas for a year before settling in Austin, Texas in 1961 with their 1-year old daughter. Faye worked in the Psychology Department at the University of Texas until her retirement in 1982. Faye and Red were active members in the Catholic Church, especially the University Newman Center, Marriage Encounter and Engaged Encounter. They enjoyed traveling and camping with their daughter. In 1982, Faye and Red joined VESS (Volunteers for Educational and Social Services) and arrived at Saint Albert the Great Newman Center two weeks before the establishment of the Las Cruces Diocese. Faye and Red worked at St. Albert the Great, Faye until her second retirement in 1990. Red later worked for the Diocese of Las Cruces. Faye and Red continued to be involved with Engaged Encounter when they came to Las Cruces. Red died in April of 1988. While working at St. Albert the Great Newman Parish, Faye was involved with the Inter Faith Alliance of NMSU, she also volunteered and served on the board at Casa de Peregrinos and as Eucharistic Minister for the hospitalized. Faye continued to love traveling and went to Europe, to Russia, Ukraine and Finland on an Elderhostel, and to the Holy Land. She also made 2 trips to Bolivia to see her brother who is a missionary priest. In her 91 years, Faye achieved a lot of milestones. She was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, mentor, traveler, secretary, volunteer, dedicated Catholic, and dear friend. She had the gift of tears and the Light of Christ. She is survived by her daughter, Ann Gibson, and her grandchildren Chris, Gabriella and Alyssa Brillante; her sisters, Mary Ruth (Bob) Creamer of Auburn, Massachusetts, Wanda Elder of Decatur, Texas, and Shirley (Dean) Banks of Yuba City, California; her brothers, Paul Thames of Mililani Town, Hawaii and Father Robert Thames of Bolivia; sister-in-law Rose Daley of Carver, Massachusetts; Patricia Fitzgerald of El Paso, Texas; many nieces and nephews and their families, cousins, godchildren and special friends. She is preceded in death by her husband, Red; her son George; her parents, Steele and Adele, her in-laws, Ida and George; her brothers, Tommy and Ray; her sister, Opal and other family members. We wish to thank Mesilla Valley Hospice for their support and unending kindness and care. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Mesilla Valley Hospice or Casa de Peregrinos. There will be a Celebration of Life held on August 6th, 2016 at 10:00am at St. Albert the Great Newman Center, 2615 S. Solano Las Cruces, NM. PDF Printable Version