Rollie S. Gibson

Rollie S. Gibson, 83, of St. Paul, died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, at Brookefield Park in St. Paul. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Christ Lutheran Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Thomas Clark will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul with graveside military honors by Carl Mogensen American Legion Post 119 of St. Paul. Rollie was born on Nov. 1, 1933, at Gordon, the son of Aden A. and Letha V. (Tuttle) Gibson. As a young boy he moved with his family to St. Paul, where he grew up and graduated from St. Paul High School. He was a Korean War veteran, having served in the United States Navy from Aug. 1952 until July 1956. Upon being discharged, he returned to St. Paul. He was united in marriage to Barbara A. Sanders on Dec. 17, 1956, at Scottsbluff. The couple lived their entire married life in St. Paul. In early years Rollie worked as a gas station attendant, for a grocery store, drove truck for Nash-Finch and worked for NPPD in Grand Island. In 1964, he began working as a lineman for Howard-Greeley Rural Public Power in St. Paul. Barb died on Oct. 29, 1994. Rollie retired in 1995 and continued to live in St. Paul the rest of his life. He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church and a 50 year member of Carl Mogensen American Legion Post 119, of which he was a past commander and chaplain. He was also involved in many military funeral honors and enjoyed speaking to school children about patriotism. In younger years Rollie was an avid bowler and loved fishing, hunting, dancing and visiting with people. He is survived by one daughter, Karen Gibson of Grand Island; two sons and daughters-in-law, Ray and Teresa Gibson of Grand Island and Rex and GeorgeAnn Gibson of Norfolk, VA; one sister, Lila Schultz of Hiawatha, Iowa; four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. In addition to his wife, Barb, he was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Dorothy Horton; and a dear friend, Rose Lee Novotny. Memorials are suggested to Christ Lutheran Church.