Jennings Bryan "Jb" Gibbs

On Sunday evening, April 5, 2009 our Patriarch passed into the loving arms of Jesus with his family at his side.

Born June 15, 1921 in Shreveport, Louisiana, JB was the eldest son of Jennings Bryan and Ada Leon Gibbs. The family moved from Shreveport to Beaumont, Texas where JB and his two younger brothers attended public schools. JB’s father passed away at an early age, so after High School JB joined the Navy. After his tour was completed, JB resumed his life long love of baseball and pursued it on a professional level. Playing initially for the farm club of the Brooklyn Dodgers, hard work and talent eventually lead to the call to play in the big leagues. JB would play in two games as a Brooklyn Dodger pitcher before an injury to his pitching arm sent him back to the minor leagues. JB played for a number of years, ultimately coaching various semi-professional teams throughout north central and west Texas.

JB completed his undergraduate studies at Iowa State University and Peabody University in Nashville. Because JB believed strongly in education, he ultimately pursued graduate school and this brought him to Abilene, and to Hardin-Simmons University. After he completed his graduate studies, he was introduced to a young woman he would later consider the best thing that ever happened to him. Winnie Creel was completing her undergraduate studies at Abilene Christian College when they went on a blind date – to a basketball game JB was refereeing. JB would later say, “she liked the way I blew my whistle”. JB and Winnie were married on July 1, 1952 in the parlor of her parents living room in Elkmont, Alabama.

After a few short years of coaching semi-professional baseball clubs, JB and Winnie moved to Abilene to continue careers as professional educators. Upon the arrival of their first son, Winnie would become a homemaker through the early childhood years of their 5 children. JB maintained two jobs; that of a coach by day, and a referee by night. In the early 60’s AISD built two new Junior High Schools, and JB was assigned the head coaching position at Madison Jr. High. JB not only chose the orange and white school colors, he also selected the Bison as the mascot.

The Madison Bisons were formidable opponents on the local Jr High scene in those years, and the crowning achievement was the year JB and his fellow coaches lead Jack Mildren and the other talented 9th graders to a perfect football season; the Bisons went undefeated, untied and unscored upon – this is a record that stands in the AISD and to this day has never been broken. JB loved Madison Jr. High, and today you will see 35 year old pecan trees on the north side of the boys gym that JB himself donated and planted. As grandkids came along, JB took an early retirement after serving as Principal at the Abilene State School for almost 10 years. A crowining moment for JB was his 1993 induction into the Hardin Simmons Sports Hall of Fame. JB is rare, in that he was a former pro baseball player who also played college football.

Those left to cherish JB’s memory are his wife of 56 years, Winnie Gibbs, of the home; Jennings Bryan Gibbs III and his wife Becky, of Abilene; Steven Creel Gibbs of Abilene; Jonathan Lee Gibbs of Phoenix, Arizona; Julie Claire Wilson and her husband David, of Abilene; and Rebekah Jill Zeller and her husband Daryl, of Abilene; his brothers, Reverend Charles N. Gibbs and his wife Donna, of Grover Beach, California and Reverend George M. Gibbs and his wife Beth, of Longview, Texas; his daughters in the Lord Pat Trice and husband Eddie, of Levelland and Bobbie Ballen and her husband Rod of Denton. JB and Winnie have 12 precious grand-children; Jennings Bryan IV, Lucas and his wife Rebecca, Ben and Sam Gibbs all of Abilene; Justin, Gibbs, and his wife Brittani of Lubbock; Amy and Seth Wilson of Abilene; Grant, Suzanne, Peter and Abigail Zeller of Abilene. All of JB and Winnie's grandchildren have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Family visitation will be from 5:00pm – 7:00pm in the Gibbs’ home on Friday evening. A private family burial service was held on Tuesday, April 7. The memorial praise service will be held at the Highland Church of Christ Sanctuary Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 3:30pm under the direction of Piersall Benton Funeral Directors.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations are made in JB’s honor to Continent of Great Cities, 3939 Beltline Road, Wells Fargo Tower, Ste. 705, Addison, Texas 75001; or to Sears Methodist Foundation, One Village Dr. Ste. 400 Abilene, TX. 79606. Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.

The family also wishes to express special thanks and appreciation to Dr. Sandra Hazelip and her fine medical staff; Sears Community Services for their loving care and compassion over the past six months, and also to our special friend and care-giver, Mickie New. We are also grateful to Hazel Young for over a decade of service to the family.