Gordon Gibson

Gordon Lamarr Gibson Jr. was born on January 11, 1956, to proud parents Gordon Sr. and Kathleen (Russell) Gibson. Gordon was their first-born, and in the years to come would be followed by younger siblings Scott, Clark, Tamera, and Julie. The Gibson family lived in Scottville, Michigan, where the family owned a local hardware store, and Gordon Sr. also supported his family as an engineer. A good kid, Gordon had the childhood of a typical American boy growing up in the fifties and sixties, and enjoyed playing sports and hunting with his brothers and teaching all he knew to his younger sisters. Before he knew it, the years had sped by and Gordon was walking through the doors of Mason County Central High School. He was smart, popular, and the quarterback of the football team needless to say, Gordon had a wonderful time in high school! Gordon made friends easily, and always had a pretty date for dances and other events. He was academically gifted, with a natural genius for mathematics. In addition to sports and classes, Gordon also found time to learn to play the trumpet and guitar. After graduating from high school in 1974, Gordon enrolled at Westshore Community College. He excelled in his classes, and worked for IBM on the side. Gordon later went on to Michigan State University, where he received an academic scholarship to study engineering. A few years into his studies at MSU, Gordon decided to join the U.S. Marines. He went through basic training, and was ready to serve his country. During this time, however, Gordon began to experience some mental health challenges. He was honorably discharged from the Marines, and returned home to live with his parents. Eventually, Gordon was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Some years later, he was hit by a car while biking in the Rockford area. This accident resulted in further damage to his brain, and Gordon began to suffer from seizures. Gordon lived at home for a number of years with his parents, during which time he held a few different jobs. Eventually, however, he went to live at a group home. Gordon enjoyed the camaraderie of the home, as well as the fact that he could still visit home regularly. Gordon lived at a number of group homes around the state throughout the years. Most recently, he has been a resident of Hamilton Nursing Home in Detroit, his home for the past ten years. Gordon got along well with the other residents, and enjoyed outings to baseball games and other activities. He was also able to put his mechanical skills to good use by helping out with maintenance and repair around the nursing home. Gordon remained close to his family, and was always delighted when family members came to visit. Sadly, as the years went by, Gordons health began to decline, and his trips to the hospital became more frequent. He remained cheerful even through these difficult times, and cherished the time he was able to spend with his loved ones. Intelligent, happy, and kind-hearted, Gordon was a loving son, brother, and friend. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his many friends and family members. Mr. Gordon L. Gibson Jr. died on January 4, 2013, at the age of 56. Gordons family includes his parents, Gordon and Kathleen Gibson of West Olive; his brothers, Scott (Susan) Gibson of Brighton and Clark Gibson of Grand Rapids; his sisters, Tamera Coveart of Grand Haven and Julie (Steven) Stenberg of Grand Haven; his nieces and nephews, Brittany Gibson, Rachel Gibson, Stephanie Gibson, Avery Gibson, Abby Gibson, Eric Gibson, Tara and Mike Miller, Alston Miller, Alyssa Coveart, Brock Stenberg, Dalton Stenberg, and Carson Stenberg. Services will be held t 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9, with visitation 1 hour prior to the service, at the Clock Chapel-Grand Haven. Memorials may be directed to the Salvation Army. Please visit Gordons personal memory page at www.clockfuneralhome.com, where you can learn more about his life, share a favorite memory or photo, and sign the online guestbook.