Josephine Helen Gibson

Josephine Helen (Damon) Gibson of Audubon, Iowa went home to be with her Lord and Savior on December 27, 2011 after a brief battle with cancer. Josephine was born April 18, 1936, at the home of her parents, George and Mabel (Carlson) Damon in Humboldt, Nebraska. She was baptized into the Evangelical United Brethren Church at Dawson, Nebraska as an infant. The family then lived in Table Rock, Nebraska for 1½ years. The family returned to Humboldt in 1938 and resided there until 1947, when they moved to Auburn, Nebraska. After moving to Auburn, the family united with The First Presbyterian Church. After graduating from Auburn High School in 1954, she worked at Auburn State Bank until her marriage to Donald Allen Gibson on October 3, 1958 in Auburn, Nebraska. To this union were born two sons, Michael Allen and Brian Lee. Jo and Don have lived in Elk Horn, Iowa and Audubon, Iowa all of their married life. During their marriage Jo was a stay-at-home mom. When the boys started school, Jo worked as an Avon representative for 20 years in the Audubon area. She also worked at Levis and Barron Law Offices and as a cook at Dairy Queen until she retired in 1998. Jo was very involved in the First Baptist Church serving as AWANA secretary and Sunday school secretary and treasurer for many years. She also served as church treasurer and treasurer of the Conservative Baptist Association of Iowa until her illness made it impossible for her to continue those duties. Jo loved to travel with her husband Don and they took many trips during their retirement years. During their 53-year marriage, they visited all 50 states and took cruises to Hawaii and Alaska, as well as a cruise through the Panama Canal. They also enjoyed following the activities of their grandchildren. Family was very important to Jo and she would often talk to others about the activities of her family. Jo is survived by her husband, Donald Gibson, two sons - Michael and wife Nancy of Atlantic, Iowa and Brian and wife Sandra of Clarinda, Iowa; four grandchildren - Caleb Gibson and his wife Charlene of Moscow Mills, Missouri, Joshua Gibson of Red Oak, Iowa, Reed Gibson of Atlantic, Iowa and Cassandra Gibson of Clarinda, Iowa. She is also survived by sisters Edith and husband Eimer Schlange of Auburn, Nebraska, Ruth Leslie of Auburn, Nebraska and one brother, John Damon and wife Mary of Princeton, Illinois. Nieces and nephews: Howard Schlange and wife, Terri, Ann Benson and husband Scott, Rebecca Badgett, Barbara Tritsch, Gary Leslie and wife Edith, Keith Leslie, Andrea Mellage and husband Bryan, Marilyn Gilbert and husband Mike, Mark Damon and wife Katherine, Katherine Damon, Jean Koven and her husband Steven, Steven Damon and wife Julie, and many great-nieces and -nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Violet Mae and brother-in-law Jack Leslie.

Cemetery:
Interment will be in the Oakfield Township Cemetery southeast of Elk Horn, Iowa.

Visitation:
The family will meet friends Saturday morning at 9:00 A.M. until the time of the service at the Elk Horn Baptist Church in Elk Horn, Iowa.

Service:
Funeral services will be Saturday, December 31, 2011, at 10:30 A.M. at the First Baptist Church in Elk Horn, Iowa.