Harry Gibson

Harry E. Gibson, age 78, of Deersville, died Tuesday, January 13, 2009, in Union Hospital at Dover following a lengthy illness.A son of the late Beyer and Helen (Schlafly) Gibson, Harry was born on the South side of New Philadelphia on July 21, 1930.Harry attended New Philadelphia Schools. In 1949, he began his military career serving in the United States Army, Air Force and Reserves. He served a tour of duty at Vietnam and was stationed in Montana, California, and Alaska. Throughout that time, he was awarded with the Air Force Longevity Service Award, the Air Force Commendation Medal and many other honors. Harry would later be awarded the Order of the Silver Rose a commendation bestowed to those who were exposed to Agent Orange.For more than ten years he was stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he enjoyed fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.Following his retirement at the rank of Technical Sergeant from Wright Patterson Air Force Base at Dayton, Ohio in 1978, Harry returned to the New Philadelphia area.Prior to his second enlistment of duty, Harry wed the former Margaret Woodworth in 1954. Together the couple reared two daughters and shared more than 36 years of marriage before her passing in 1991.Harry enjoyed many activities in his life, and because of his skill as a craftsman built four homes in the area. Through his love for the outdoors, he became an avid gardener and for a number of years enjoyed the sights that his work as a driver for Troyer Cheese allowed him to encounter. He also enjoyed collecting and restoring antique bicycles, and often volunteered at the Twin Cities Christian Services Food Pantry.Additionally, he and his second wife, the former Judith Bigler, whom he married in 2000, enjoyed attending auctions at their leisure. Harry was always looking for that perfect find and quite often managed to achieve that task.In addition to his wife, Judy, Harry is survived by two daughters, Lucinda (Michael) Fleming of Canton and Ginger (Todd) Dehus of Newark; two step-daughters, Stephanie (David) Schriver of Texas and Laurie Fuller of Germany; and a step-son, TSgt, Jeffrey (Erin) Fuller of Ohio.Two brothers, John Gibson and George Gibson both of New Philadelphia; a sister, Frances Moser of Huntington Beach, California; and fourteen grandchildren complete the family.In addition to his parents and first wife, Harry is preceded in death by an infant son, Kelly Ward Gibson; three brothers, Walter Gibson, Lloyd Gibson, and James Gibson; and a sister, Edna Levengood.The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 18, 2009, from 2:00 â?? 5:00 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. Pastor Carolyn Behrendt will lead a service celebrating Harry’s life on Monday, January 19, 2009, at 10:30 AM in the funeral home’s chapel. Burial in the Evergreen Burial Park at New Philadelphia will follow, where a military honor guard will render services.Following the committal the family wishes to invite guests to join them in the Geib Family Center, adjacent to the New Philadelphia funeral home, for refreshments and fellowship.Memorial contributions in Harry’s name may be made to Twin Cities Christian Services Food Pantry, 109 N. Water St., Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683.