Eloise F. Gibson

Eloise Francine Giannini Gibson passed away April 5, 2009 at the age of 94. She was born January 1, 1915 in Jackson, California to Joseph and Marie Giannini. Eloise graduated from Jackson High School on June 8th, 1933. She later worked for Pacific Telephone in Grass Valley, California. On July 6, 1937 she married Herbert P. Gibson and together they had 4 children. Charles (1938), Robert (1946), and Janice (1948) were born in California. They moved to Missoula in May of 1949 where they owned and operated Gibson’s Magazine on North Higgins Avenue. In 1954, Paul was born. Eloise returned to school to receive her Licensed Practical Nursing degree in 1967. She worked at the University Health Service and then Hillside Manor until 1987, when she retired. She loved the people she cared for and the people she worked with. Eloise loved flowers. As a young child she always picked the neighbors’ flowers. Her great granddaughter, Sophia, inherited her ability to find and pick flowers. She loved gardening, canning, bowling, camping, fishing and traveling with family. She traveled to Hawaii, Europe, the Panama Canal and Alaska. It was always a treat for her to travel in the motor home with the grandkids to California and Arizona and she loved to play the nickel machines in Las Vegas & Jackpot, Nevada. She bowled in a league at Five Valleys Bowl and was very involved with the Bowl for Kid’s Sake fundraiser. At Christmas time she took charge of divinity making and fruitcake production and in the summer and fall would guide people through canning and pickle making. She loved bread and butter pickles. She loved to fish and usually caught the biggest one. Mom loved to dye Easter eggs with the grandkids, and enjoyed fireworks on the fourth of July and New Year’s Eve. She loved Christmas time and enjoyed driving around looking at the lights and decorations and loved any gift she received. It was pure delight to watch her open presents. Her smile was radiant and constant. She enjoyed delivering treats to her neighbors on the 4th floor at the Clark Fork Manor for various holidays and she loved to have her door decorated. She was an avid Grizzly fan and was the oldest person to travel to Chattanooga to watch them play in a national championship game with her granddaughter Lori. She won the hearts of many people on her charter because of her genuinely sweet and witty personality and by the end of the trip was fondly referred by many as “Granny”. Eloise was also an avid NFL & NBA fan. Her favorite teams were the Phoenix Suns and the San Francisco 49ers. She loved to go see the Suns play when she was in Phoenix. Eloise was a 2 time cancer survivor, she had 2 knee implants but she continued to attend the Women’s Club for morning water aerobics with the “girls”. She dearly loved all the people in her class and it kept her heart stronger than one could imagine. She enjoyed her dinner companions and friends at the Clark Fork Riverside and missed them immensely when she moved to Polson in November of 2008. She is survived by her children, Robert and wife Anna Gibson of Phoenix, AZ, Janice and husband Jim Phillips of Big Arm, MT, Paul and wife Nancy Gibson of Missoula and daughter-in-law Pat Gibson, widow of Charles, of Missoula. Grandchildren, Lori Richardson, and fiancé Jeff Talbott, Angi Phillips, Cheri and husband Matthew Jacobs, Wendy, and husband Chuck Forgey, Blake and Nicolas Gibson, David and Jeff Gibson. Great grandchildren, Tyler Trowbridge, Danni and Krista Johnston, Conner Richardson, Charles Jaden and Sophia Forgey and Justin and Jaymeson Jacobs & Nickolas and Ryan Talbott. Sister, Donna Renwick of Fresno, CA., nephews David, Blair, Jon & niece Kristen and their families. Cousin, LaRaine Schlatter of Oak Harbor, WA and son Bob of Monroe, WA. She was preceded in death by her oldest son Charles in 2006 and husband Herbert in 1986. A memorial service will be held June 10, 2009 at Christ the King Church with a reception following immediately at the church. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery following the reception. Details will be posted at a later date. Donations can be made to the charity of choice. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com