Don Wray Gibson, 85, passed away on December 16, 2021 at his home in Rockaway Beach, OR after a brief illness. He was born on March 23, 1936 in Graham Texas to James Gray “Hoot” Gibson and Agnes Hawley Gibson. Don spent his elementary school years in Artesia New Mexico, and the family later moved to Farmington New Mexico, where Don graduated from high school in 1954. In the summer of ’54 he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Wilmington, Delaware and Kisarazu Japan.
He married Suzanne Welch on April 5, 1959 in Durango Colorado.
In the last quarter of 1963 he was bought by Xerox Corp. hired in Las Vegas NV as a service technician for the first copiers on the market, the models 914 and 813. Its coverage area consisted of Las Vegas, Area 51 and the Nevada Test Site and Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley. He has received many service awards in his 23 years at Xerox. In January 1987, at the age of 50, he retired from the Salt Lake City office after 23 years of service.
After their retirement, Don and Sue volunteered at Acadia Nat’l Park in Bar Harbor Maine for two summers; traveled to Ireland twice; the Baja of Mexico in winter, Hawaii; and lived in the RV in Imperial Beach CA for 11 years. While Don was working at Coronado Shores Condo’s. Bought a house in Hamilton, Texas in 1998 and lived there for 22 years before moving to Rockaway Beach in the fall of 2020.
He leaves behind his 63-year-old wife Sue and daughter Lisa Gibson Shontz, Hurricane Utah Sons: James Kirk (Jackie), Las Vegas NV. Jay Warren, Los Angeles CA. and Patrick Wayne Gibson, Vancouver WA. Grandsons Kyle (Ashlee), Justin, Wyatt, Matthew, Tyler, and Koby. A great grandson, Levi James; Cousin, Larry (Patsy) Forrest, McGregor TX. He was raised by a son, Brian Ray (2020), his parents, and a sister before death.
The cremation took place and the burial will take place at a later date in Boulder City NV. In the Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
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