Sally Joy Gibbs
Sally Joy Gibbs
December 11th, 1935 – February 19th, 2024
*Author’s Note: The following excerpts in our “Life Stories” are from the Celebration of Life service for Sally Joy Gibbs for you to read, reflect, and pay your respects privately. It was an honor for me to learn about Sally and help capture her story for her dear family and friends. She will be dearly missed by many.
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God called Sally home, and she was ready to follow. She is home now in the loving embrace of our Lord in heaven. Her journey is complete. She is reunited with her parents George and Molly, her son Ronald, her husband Lemuel, and her siblings Stuart, Margaret, and Nan. They all were waiting for her with open arms, and she is surrounded by love.
As we heard in our opening song, “I wish for you the happiness that I’ve found in knowing the Lord. Pass it on. Spread the love to everyone.” Sally truly wants you to be happy for her, she was ready, and she is home.
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As you may know, Sally was very independent. She tried so hard to do so much herself. “I got this!” She appreciated your support, but she didn’t want the help. Sally was strong and steadfast, but even the strongest among us need to rest.
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Sally was born in Chicago on December 11th, 1935. She grew up in Antioch, IL. She was close with her siblings and enjoyed outdoor activities like fishing. She graduated from Antioch High School in 1954 and attended IBM Keypunch School in Chicago.
Sally met her dear Lemuel through friends, and they were united in marriage on June 30th, 1956. The couple built their life together in Kenosha, WI and welcomed 3 sons to the world: Steve, Marty, and Ronnie.
Sally and Lemuel loved to go out dancing. And they knew how to dance! Sally loved to cook; she just didn’t know how to cook small. She enjoyed having groups of people over to her home. Her son, Steve, recalls his house being the one everybody wanted to come to. His whole hockey team would show up at his house, and mom would say, “Oh, good! I get to pull out the big pots!” Thanksgiving was an all-day event with several courses and several rounds of families coming and going. Feeding people brought Sally joy, and if she provided you with nourishment at some time in your life, know that she was giving her love to you.
Sally enjoyed bowling and was in a league with her sister and a separate league with her husband. The women’s league was particularly special to her as it provided a welcome reprieve from a houseful of boys. Sally also played volleyball for several years.
Sally and Lemuel were a busy couple. They didn’t know how to sit still. Every other weekend, the family headed out on a camping trip. They began their excursions with a tent and eventually upgraded to a camper. They created such cherished memories with their adventures.
Sally dedicated her life to being a homemaker and caring for her children. She was the disciplinarian and always served as a good example.
After her children were grown, Sally worked as a plant clerk for H.A. Friend Company until her retirement in 1996. Sally and Lemuel enjoyed retreating to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Sally immersed herself in her church, Our Savior Lutheran Church, by teaching Sunday School and being a volunteer cook. She also was a member of the St. Germain Sayner Wildlife Club, Northern Retirees Club, Eagle River Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, and the Martha Society.
After 45 years of a loving marriage, Lemuel passed away in 2001. Sally missed him dearly, but she continued with her volunteer work and maintained her independence up north. Sally was dedicated to helping others and providing whatever care she could. She drove people to their appointments, cooked for others, and always lent a helping hand. Her daughter-in-law, Sarah, said that they’d go up to visit her and Sally would be so busy with her volunteer schedule. Sally definitely used her talents and energy to serve her community.
Sally also had a unique Snow White-like presence with wildlife. The deer in her yard up north were like her friends. The deer would wait in her yard for her to come outside and give them some veggies. And not just one or two deer, there’d be a dozen or so! They knew her and knew when she was up and about inside her home, and they would wait for their friend to come outside. It was quite a remarkable connection.
Sally was a wonderful grandma. She was sincerely connected with her grandchildren and very loving. Her presence will be missed by all.
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May you embrace and share with others the qualities of Sally that you love and miss so much so that her legacy may live on. Cook a meal for your loved ones. Take a camping trip. Volunteer at your church. Connect with the wildlife in your yard. Look to the good times. Learn the lessons. Choose happiness. Live on with the faith that in some way Sally will always be with you. Her love for you, all the beautiful memories she built with you…will stay with you always.
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Sally will be forever missed by her sons, Steve and Marty, and their families, her 6 grandchildren, several great grandchildren, her sister, Nina, and many other loved ones and dear friends.
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Today we lay Sally to rest with the remains of her precious son, Ronnie, who passed away in 2006. Mother and son together forever. Sally and Ronnie, may you rest in eternal peace knowing you are dearly loved.
My sincere condolences and love, Holly