Melba Lee Basham Gibbons
SHREVEPORT, LA - Mrs. Melba Lee Basham Gibbons, 87, of Shreveport, LA died peacefully of cancer at her residence on Monday, August 17, 2009. She was born December 17, 1921 in Springhill, LA. Her family moved to Shreveport in 1941. Mrs. Gibbons graduated from Benton High School and then married Roy Edward Gibbons to whom she was married for 62 years until his death in 2002.
After rearing two daughters, Mrs. Gibbons went to college and earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and then her Masters of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico. She was a teacher in Morgan City, LA for several years.
Mrs. Gibbons traveled with her husband all over the world both for pleasure and with his job at Mobil Oil. They lived in Fernando Po, Nigeria, Scotland, and Norway making many friends all along the way. She organized and solicited books for a library in Nigeria that was named for her. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Bergen Norway American School. She helped organized the Basham Family Reunion when she returned to Louisiana to live and so enjoyed seeing family there each year. Later the Young side of the family joined the Basham clan and it became the Basham/Young Reunion. She proudly wore the title of the "oldest woman" in attendance for the past couple of years at the reunion.
She was a wonderful cook and a gracious hostess who enjoyed sharing her home with family and friends, especially on holidays. She and her huband always found a spot of land wherever they lived to raise a beautiful garden so she could serve luscious vegetables.
Mrs. Gibbons was a member of The Benton Girls, a group of women who until recently have met every month for lunch since they graduated from high school. She and her husband enjoyed camping and were members of both the Drifters RV Club and an Air Stream travel club. She was also a member of the Exxon Mobil Retiree Association.
For the past seven years, Mrs. Gibbons resided at the Waterford where she led exercises, organized and led the domino tournament every week, played games, and participated in their many outings and activities. Her favorite game was Jokers which she played for hours and how she loved to be the winner of that game. She was always ready to help and encourage her fellow residents and often slipped greeting cards under their doors as they slept. At each holiday she supplied little gifts to each resident.
She was nominated and won the title of "Caretaker of the Year" in a national contest of cancer caretakers and traveled to South Carolina to receive the award and prizes. She was also honored as "Mother of the Year" in Arlington, Texas in 1997 and received many gifts as well as front page newspaper coverage.
She was an avid reader and woke up very early every morning to work the newspaper crossword puzzle. In recent months she had started reading through the entire Bible again and on her death she was just a few papes short of completing her goal.
A Baptist her entire life, she was a member of Haynes Avenue Baptist Church and a former member of Heritage Baptist Church. A Christian mother who led by example, whose greatest desire was to see both her daughters follow Christ.
Mrs. Gibbons is survived by her daughters, Faye Landham (Tom) of Arlington, TX and Katie Nielsen (Michael) of Sacramento, CA; brothers A.D (Doc) Basham and A.C (Red) Basham; sisters Carleen Carnivale, Delores Guy, Janie Busenburg, Betty Sue Nunez, 5 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and many nieces and nephews.
As her husband, Mrs. Gibbons donated her body to the LSU Medical Research Center, hoping to help others even in her death.
A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, September 1st at 7:00 PM. The service will be held at the Waterford Retirement Center, located at 222 E. Bert Kouns in Shreveport.
In lieu of memorials may be donated in her memory to The American Cancer Society.
Published in Shreveport Times 08-30-2009
SHREVEPORT, LA - Mrs. Melba Lee Basham Gibbons, 87, of Shreveport, LA died peacefully of cancer at her residence on Monday, August 17, 2009. She was born December 17, 1921 in Springhill, LA. Her family moved to Shreveport in 1941. Mrs. Gibbons graduated from Benton High School and then married Roy Edward Gibbons to whom she was married for 62 years until his death in 2002.
After rearing two daughters, Mrs. Gibbons went to college and earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and then her Masters of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico. She was a teacher in Morgan City, LA for several years.
Mrs. Gibbons traveled with her husband all over the world both for pleasure and with his job at Mobil Oil. They lived in Fernando Po, Nigeria, Scotland, and Norway making many friends all along the way. She organized and solicited books for a library in Nigeria that was named for her. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Bergen Norway American School. She helped organized the Basham Family Reunion when she returned to Louisiana to live and so enjoyed seeing family there each year. Later the Young side of the family joined the Basham clan and it became the Basham/Young Reunion. She proudly wore the title of the "oldest woman" in attendance for the past couple of years at the reunion.
She was a wonderful cook and a gracious hostess who enjoyed sharing her home with family and friends, especially on holidays. She and her huband always found a spot of land wherever they lived to raise a beautiful garden so she could serve luscious vegetables.
Mrs. Gibbons was a member of The Benton Girls, a group of women who until recently have met every month for lunch since they graduated from high school. She and her husband enjoyed camping and were members of both the Drifters RV Club and an Air Stream travel club. She was also a member of the Exxon Mobil Retiree Association.
For the past seven years, Mrs. Gibbons resided at the Waterford where she led exercises, organized and led the domino tournament every week, played games, and participated in their many outings and activities. Her favorite game was Jokers which she played for hours and how she loved to be the winner of that game. She was always ready to help and encourage her fellow residents and often slipped greeting cards under their doors as they slept. At each holiday she supplied little gifts to each resident.
She was nominated and won the title of "Caretaker of the Year" in a national contest of cancer caretakers and traveled to South Carolina to receive the award and prizes. She was also honored as "Mother of the Year" in Arlington, Texas in 1997 and received many gifts as well as front page newspaper coverage.
She was an avid reader and woke up very early every morning to work the newspaper crossword puzzle. In recent months she had started reading through the entire Bible again and on her death she was just a few papes short of completing her goal.
A Baptist her entire life, she was a member of Haynes Avenue Baptist Church and a former member of Heritage Baptist Church. A Christian mother who led by example, whose greatest desire was to see both her daughters follow Christ.
Mrs. Gibbons is survived by her daughters, Faye Landham (Tom) of Arlington, TX and Katie Nielsen (Michael) of Sacramento, CA; brothers A.D (Doc) Basham and A.C (Red) Basham; sisters Carleen Carnivale, Delores Guy, Janie Busenburg, Betty Sue Nunez, 5 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and many nieces and nephews.
As her husband, Mrs. Gibbons donated her body to the LSU Medical Research Center, hoping to help others even in her death.
A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, September 1st at 7:00 PM. The service will be held at the Waterford Retirement Center, located at 222 E. Bert Kouns in Shreveport.
In lieu of memorials may be donated in her memory to The American Cancer Society.
Published in Shreveport Times 08-30-2009
Melba Lee Basham Gibbons
SHREVEPORT, LA - Mrs. Melba Lee Basham Gibbons, 87, of Shreveport, LA died peacefully of cancer at her residence on Monday, August 17, 2009. She was born December 17, 1921 in Springhill, LA. Her family moved to Shreveport in 1941. Mrs. Gibbons graduated from Benton High School and then married Roy Edward Gibbons to whom she was married for 62 years until his death in 2002.
After rearing two daughters, Mrs. Gibbons went to college and earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and then her Masters of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico. She was a teacher in Morgan City, LA for several years.
Mrs. Gibbons traveled with her husband all over the world both for pleasure and with his job at Mobil Oil. They lived in Fernando Po, Nigeria, Scotland, and Norway making many friends all along the way. She organized and solicited books for a library in Nigeria that was named for her. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Bergen Norway American School. She helped organized the Basham Family Reunion when she returned to Louisiana to live and so enjoyed seeing family there each year. Later the Young side of the family joined the Basham clan and it became the Basham/Young Reunion. She proudly wore the title of the "oldest woman" in attendance for the past couple of years at the reunion.
She was a wonderful cook and a gracious hostess who enjoyed sharing her home with family and friends, especially on holidays. She and her huband always found a spot of land wherever they lived to raise a beautiful garden so she could serve luscious vegetables.
Mrs. Gibbons was a member of The Benton Girls, a group of women who until recently have met every month for lunch since they graduated from high school. She and her husband enjoyed camping and were members of both the Drifters RV Club and an Air Stream travel club. She was also a member of the Exxon Mobil Retiree Association.
For the past seven years, Mrs. Gibbons resided at the Waterford where she led exercises, organized and led the domino tournament every week, played games, and participated in their many outings and activities. Her favorite game was Jokers which she played for hours and how she loved to be the winner of that game. She was always ready to help and encourage her fellow residents and often slipped greeting cards under their doors as they slept. At each holiday she supplied little gifts to each resident.
She was nominated and won the title of "Caretaker of the Year" in a national contest of cancer caretakers and traveled to South Carolina to receive the award and prizes. She was also honored as "Mother of the Year" in Arlington, Texas in 1997 and received many gifts as well as front page newspaper coverage.
She was an avid reader and woke up very early every morning to work the newspaper crossword puzzle. In recent months she had started reading through the entire Bible again and on her death she was just a few papes short of completing her goal.
A Baptist her entire life, she was a member of Haynes Avenue Baptist Church and a former member of Heritage Baptist Church. A Christian mother who led by example, whose greatest desire was to see both her daughters follow Christ.
Mrs. Gibbons is survived by her daughters, Faye Landham (Tom) of Arlington, TX and Katie Nielsen (Michael) of Sacramento, CA; brothers A.D (Doc) Basham and A.C (Red) Basham; sisters Carleen Carnivale, Delores Guy, Janie Busenburg, Betty Sue Nunez, 5 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and many nieces and nephews.
As her husband, Mrs. Gibbons donated her body to the LSU Medical Research Center, hoping to help others even in her death.
A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, September 1st at 7:00 PM. The service will be held at the Waterford Retirement Center, located at 222 E. Bert Kouns in Shreveport.
In lieu of memorials may be donated in her memory to The American Cancer Society.
Published in Shreveport Times 08-30-2009
SHREVEPORT, LA - Mrs. Melba Lee Basham Gibbons, 87, of Shreveport, LA died peacefully of cancer at her residence on Monday, August 17, 2009. She was born December 17, 1921 in Springhill, LA. Her family moved to Shreveport in 1941. Mrs. Gibbons graduated from Benton High School and then married Roy Edward Gibbons to whom she was married for 62 years until his death in 2002.
After rearing two daughters, Mrs. Gibbons went to college and earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and then her Masters of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico. She was a teacher in Morgan City, LA for several years.
Mrs. Gibbons traveled with her husband all over the world both for pleasure and with his job at Mobil Oil. They lived in Fernando Po, Nigeria, Scotland, and Norway making many friends all along the way. She organized and solicited books for a library in Nigeria that was named for her. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Bergen Norway American School. She helped organized the Basham Family Reunion when she returned to Louisiana to live and so enjoyed seeing family there each year. Later the Young side of the family joined the Basham clan and it became the Basham/Young Reunion. She proudly wore the title of the "oldest woman" in attendance for the past couple of years at the reunion.
She was a wonderful cook and a gracious hostess who enjoyed sharing her home with family and friends, especially on holidays. She and her huband always found a spot of land wherever they lived to raise a beautiful garden so she could serve luscious vegetables.
Mrs. Gibbons was a member of The Benton Girls, a group of women who until recently have met every month for lunch since they graduated from high school. She and her husband enjoyed camping and were members of both the Drifters RV Club and an Air Stream travel club. She was also a member of the Exxon Mobil Retiree Association.
For the past seven years, Mrs. Gibbons resided at the Waterford where she led exercises, organized and led the domino tournament every week, played games, and participated in their many outings and activities. Her favorite game was Jokers which she played for hours and how she loved to be the winner of that game. She was always ready to help and encourage her fellow residents and often slipped greeting cards under their doors as they slept. At each holiday she supplied little gifts to each resident.
She was nominated and won the title of "Caretaker of the Year" in a national contest of cancer caretakers and traveled to South Carolina to receive the award and prizes. She was also honored as "Mother of the Year" in Arlington, Texas in 1997 and received many gifts as well as front page newspaper coverage.
She was an avid reader and woke up very early every morning to work the newspaper crossword puzzle. In recent months she had started reading through the entire Bible again and on her death she was just a few papes short of completing her goal.
A Baptist her entire life, she was a member of Haynes Avenue Baptist Church and a former member of Heritage Baptist Church. A Christian mother who led by example, whose greatest desire was to see both her daughters follow Christ.
Mrs. Gibbons is survived by her daughters, Faye Landham (Tom) of Arlington, TX and Katie Nielsen (Michael) of Sacramento, CA; brothers A.D (Doc) Basham and A.C (Red) Basham; sisters Carleen Carnivale, Delores Guy, Janie Busenburg, Betty Sue Nunez, 5 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and many nieces and nephews.
As her husband, Mrs. Gibbons donated her body to the LSU Medical Research Center, hoping to help others even in her death.
A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, September 1st at 7:00 PM. The service will be held at the Waterford Retirement Center, located at 222 E. Bert Kouns in Shreveport.
In lieu of memorials may be donated in her memory to The American Cancer Society.
Published in Shreveport Times 08-30-2009
Bio by: JB BERRY
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