Albert W. Gibbs

Albert W. Gibbs, 79, of Ponca, NE passed away on Monday, April 8, 2013 at his residence while surrounded by his family.Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, April 14, 2013 at the Ponca State Park Resource Center with Rev. Dr. Bud Christensen officiating. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service at the Center. Burial will be at a later date. (Suits and ties are strongly discouraged - Albert would approve his daughters' request.) Arrangements are under the direction of Mohr Funeral Home in Ponca, NE. Online condolences to the family may be posted at www.mohrfuneralhome.com.Albert was born in rural Newcastle, NE on October 15, 1933, the youngest son of Casper and Maude (Severance) Gibbs. He grew up on a farm North of Newcastle and attended Newcastle Public School. After school he farmed with his family before working for Lloyd Schram. He moved to Detroit, Michigan with his older brother, Merle to do masonry work before serving in the U.S. Navy from 1955 to 1957. He married Pauline Sorenson on October 20, 1955 at Zion Lutheran Church in Maskell, NE. They lived in rural Ponca, moving into Ponca in 1962. He worked for Ag Lime Sand & Gravel till 1971. He worked for Hagen Truck Line in Sioux City, IA for nineteen years. When it closed, he worked for Kaiser Refrigeration and Supreme Motors before retiring in 1995. After working 54-hour work weeks, he'd often weld late into the night, making repairs or one-of-a-kind creations for local folks he treasured quietly as friends. He had a great love of the Missouri River. He and his brothers introduced water skiing on the river to this area. Any Sunday spent on a sandbar with his family was his version of paradise. Albert took great joy in travel - enjoying family trips to the mountains and attending Navy reunions. In his retirement years, he deeply loved and appreciated the companionship of a special dog named Taz. Survivors include his wife, Pauline Gibbs of Ponca, NE; daughters, Clarice (Gary) Boring of Cody, WY, Sandy (Rick) Nelson of Sioux City, IA and Sheryl (Bill) Persinger of Ponca, NE; grandchildren, Jake and Matt Nelson, Erin, Emily and Eli Persinger; brothers, Howard Gibbs of Ponca, NE and Irwin (Vivian) Gibbs of Burbank, SD; sister, Glenda (Dale) Kuhlmann of Emmett, ID; several nieces and nephews; and Taz.Albert was preceded in death by his parents, Casper and Maude Gibbs; Pauline's parents, Martin and Ruby Swanson, an infant daughter, Carrie Frances; brothers, LeRoy Gibbs and Merle Gibbs; and very special sister-in-law, Darlene Gibbs.In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Hospice of Siouxland.