GREENFIELD
Rose “Von” Gibson, age 84, of Greenfield, went to her eternal home to be with her Lord, Jesus Christ on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. She passed at home surrounded by her family. She was born in Colson, Kentucky on July 08, 1938 to Thelma and Lone Madden, who preceded her in death.
She married the love of her life, Douglas Gibson on January 28, 1961 in Clintwood, Virginia. After starting their family in Red Fox, Kentucky, the two moved to Greenfield in 1968 where they raised their five kids and cherished many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was saved, joined the Old Regular Baptist Association of churches and was a letter member and regular attendee of the Chester Hog Old Regular Baptist Church, Charlestown, Indiana up until her illness two years ago.
Von spent most of her life serving The Lord and all of her life caring for others. She was a loving and sacrificing wife; an unconditionally loving mother, mother-in-law, grandma, great-grandma, and friend to many; a lifelong homemaker, caring for her family and children at home. Throughout her life, she enjoyed cooking, cleaning, crocheting, and especially sewing, and making clothes. She was quite the seamstress, spending several hours a day at her mom’s 1920’s Singer foot pedal sewing machine, just sewing and listening to her Gospel tapes and CD’s. She sewed a lot of her own clothes, and clothes for her children and grandchildren. She also made many friends by sewing for them and she considered it a ministry. Although she spent a few years making drapes and forever altering for many, her most joyous sewing moments were making or altering clothes for her family and dresses for little girls in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. She would delight in telling the story of her days mending baseball uniforms for Greenfield-Central High School and the Indianapolis Indians. She loved to babysit her grandchildren, talk with her church family and many friends on the telephone, doing Sister Brown’s hair, and listening to Gospel music. Later in life she loved to yard sale, shop at Goodwill and spend evenings sitting with her husband in the porch swing.
Family meant everything to Von and she truly was the best ever grandma. Her home was always open. You weren’t there 10 minutes before she’d ask “can I fix y’all something to eat?” And when you got ready to leave she’d say in that beautiful southern drawl “y’all just stick around” or “y’all just stay the night”.
She loved to have the grand/great grand kids in their home. She was never bashful with telling the grand/great-grand kids her opinion on right from wrong and sharing Jesus with them. She cherished the opportunities to prepare meals for her family to come and eat. Her breakfasts were especially good! When she’d call and say “I’m fixing breakfast in the mornin’, it’ll be ready by 9:30, y’all come over and eat.” She’d have the table full of food and a kitchen full of family. Holiday meals were no different. She made some huge meals in her tiny kitchen, and have tables set up all over the place just so everyone had a seat. Ever the servant, she was always the last one to eat. She wouldn’t sit down until she knew everyone had what they needed.
Von is survived by her husband, Douglas Gibson, Daughters, Brenda (Gary) Hayes (Nancy, Ky), Kathy (Darrell) Hisle (Greenfield), Sons, Harold (Sharon) Gibson (Morristown), Terrell (Teri) Gibson (Greenfield); Mike (Darla) Gibson (Greenfield) and step-son Douglas Gibson, Jr. Sixteen Grandchildren: Serenity (Ken) Hopkins; Jennifer Hayes; Bobby (Tessa) Hayes; Hannah (Michael) Peacock; Aaron Hisle, Candace (Brian) Gervais; Dustin Blankenship; Matt (Kristina) Gibson; Holly (Michael) Hughes; Kyle (Elizabeth) Gibson; Austin Gibson; Taylor Gibson, Mitchell Gibson, Lucas Gibson; Caroline Gibson and Carson Gibson. Twenty-One great grandchildren and one on the way. Siblings, Lisa (Tommy) Adams, Shirley (Don) Pratt, Judy Mullens, Jeanie Beagley, Carolyn Caudill, and Emmitt (Anita) Madden.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Olaf Madden, grandchild Bailey (Mike and Darla) Gibson and great grandchild Ezra (Holly and Mike).
The family would like to thank the caregivers Von was blessed with over the past 2 years who have provided great care and love: Dr. Amanda Goldstein, Dr. Mazhar Kahn, Dr. Manuel Lozano, Dr. Braca Cantor, Dr. Laura Rife, Dr. John Hittle, Hancock Regional Hospital 3N ICU staff, the HRH outpatient services staff, Suburban Hospice staff, Tammy Coleman, Denise Irwin, Felicia Shockley, Pam Sholer, Vickie Beeson (Senior Helpers, Greenfield) and the many others who loved our Mom and prayed for her.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM at Calvary Baptist Church, 1450 W. Main Street, Greenfield, IN 46140. Celebration of life service will begin at 2:30 PM with Brothers Ray Williamson, Don Pratt, Layton Phipps, Bill Halcomb, and Pastor Roger Kinion officiating. Burial will follow at Park Cemetery in Greenfield. Arrangements are being handled by Erlewein Mortuary &Crematory in Greenfield.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made by mail to the Shriners Children’s Hospital (“her boys” as she called the little guys in the commercials), St. Jude’s, and/or Feed the Children. Friends may share a memory or condolence at www.erleweinmortuary.com.
