I think Dad also learned the value of opening your home to others. He was befriended by the Calls, the family of his good high school friend, Udall. Though their warmth and kindness, he was introduced to Church sports, BYU, and eventually was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....and the rest is history as they say. His whole life was devoted to his family and the Church that he loved. (Of course, there was the spare time which he dabbled in games from time to time.)
College student at BYU where he studied chemistry.
He later completed a master degree in the same field from University of Idaho.
Young Marrieds. Note the bow tie!
As the oldest, Dad always called me the "practice" child. I was the first one that got to stay up late on Friday nights and play war games. Mom made the comment that she thought I was 14 before I realized that I didn't have to always play war games on Friday night. But they are fond memories for me. In adidtion to that one on one time, I learned places of history and the strategy of battles. Dad might have beat me, but I got better with his direction and I liked that.
This was a family picture taken by Uncle Grant at their home.
This would have been sometime in the summer of 1961.
We moved to our Agnes house in the summer of 1962. One of the first Christmases after that we got a ping pong table and Dad proceeded to teach us to play ping pong. At the time, I remember thinking that Dad was learning to play at the same time he was teaching us. He seemed about as "skilled" as us in my opinion. It wasn't until I was an adult that I found out that Dad had taught us by playing with his left hand instead of his right. He wanted us to enjoy ping pong so he made that adaptation for us. Of course, ping pong and rotation ping pong are center in many Giberson gatherings even to this day.
Dad and Mom wearing their Giberson shirts from our 1994 reunion in Plano, Texas.
I got to share Stake plays and other drama stuff with Dad as I was a teenager as those things were still a part of the Church. I have fun memories of practices together and watching him perform. I have even a very vague memory of him playing the part of a Japanese man in a play at a Church. The Family Night Theater was a result of his love for drama and although I missed most of those nights, I loved hearing about them.
I appreciate that Dad spend time to organize family reunions. With eight kids, it is a major task but he and Mom were dedicated to getting us together. Before the "three year rule," Valerie said that she would get a call from Dad saying something like Judy will be visiting at this time (fill in blank) why don't you plan to join us...and so he would gather us from our various locations.
None of us wanted Mom to be sick and to struggle with poor health for so much of her life, least of all, Dad. I never remember Dad complaining about it to me. He took care of her and did whatever was needed for her health. He had to do things around the house that he had never planned on doing. I am so grateful for that love and care toward Mom and that example to all of us.
This was a "daughters" picture taken last year at Dad and Karla's home in Midvale.
No discussion about Dad would be complete without including parties and games. Those two words were connected with "Giberson" both in Richland and Amarillo. I can remember Dad and Mom hosting a party in Richland when I was about 10. She had made spaghetti and they had put weird things in paper bags which their guests had to eat with. It sounded like such a fun idea and I couldn't believe that I had not been invited. I remember feeling very "put out" by the whole things. (I tried to remember that feeling as my own children have expressed the same feelings as we have had "friends" parties without them.) Gary and I have continued this same tradition in our family.
Dad and Karla--April 2010
We are certainly glad that Dad was able to add Karla (Nana to the grandchidlren) to his life. It has made these past years so much better for him. They were able to serve a mission to Sendai, Japan, which was one of Dad's lifelong dreams (to serve a mission---I think he was caught off guard to be sent to Japan.)
I am giving a talk in Church tomorrow. In it I share a recent experience when I called Dad to help me help Jena with a chemistry worksheet. In the ending, I share the following: "I am grateful for a father who although he couldn’t fix a car or do most simple home repairs taught me to love science, to enjoy the theater, and to try new things. He cheered for me at my games and was proud of my accomplishments. He taught me to serve God quietly and competently wherever we are called. He told me to marry someone who could fix things around the house and I did. "
Happy Birthday, Dad....I hope it was a happy one.
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