Doreen Ivy Gibbon

Doreen Ivy Gibbon, 88 died peacefully with her husband at her side on August 1st, 2020 Doreen was born in Grays, Essex, England in 1932 during a trying time. Unfortunately, she lost her mother, Ivy Greenwood to tuberculosis when she was 5. Due to the worldwide depression she, along with her Father, Henry Greenwood and her half-sister, Milly, moved to South Africa where her father worked in Naval shipyards repairing boats. She spent a few years there and then returned to England just before the start of WWII. Her father remarried and this gave Doreen a new sister, Betty, and two brothers, Alan and Peter. Betty became not only a sister but a best friend. During the war years she was evacuated to a sawmill in Wiltshire outside of the London area where she made some lifelong friends. She grew up as an avid Girl Guide and a committed student. When she finished secondary school, she went to Southampton University where she obtained her degree in Sociology. During this time, she also continued her hobbies of Country Dancing, Tennis and Girl Guides. She started work as a social worker/teacher for disadvantaged girls in Nottingham and then moved to Birmingham to be a childcare officer. While attending a University Girl Guide/Boy Scout event in the New Forest, she was asked to sub in for the girl that was running the country dancing evening entertainment. She was paired up with a young University student who later became her husband. John and Doreen were married in September of 1959. Immediately after they were married, John completed his thesis for his PhD. In fact, Doreen spent a portion of their Honeymoon at the typewriter, finishing his paper. They moved to Kent to start their married life and over the next 6 years they were blessed with two boys, David and Andrew. John’s work then had them move to North Yorkshire where their daughter, Susan was born. In 1967 John had the opportunity to work in the USA and Doreen reluctantly agreed to give it a try. They boarded the Queen Elizabeth with the family and sailed for America in August of 1967. John’s company had moved them to Charlotte, NC. Doreen’s American life had begun. Shortly after their arrival they purchased a house in the Stonehaven neighborhood where she would live and raise her family for the next 50 years. John and Doreen joined Sardis Swim and Racquet Club as charter members and helped with the building of the club. As an avid tennis player Doreen was excited for the tennis courts to be built but after the asphalt was poured, nothing else was done. So, Doreen took it upon herself to hand paint the lines on the courts so play could begin. She also served on the board at Sardis and was a commissioner for Queen City Tennis for three years. She helped with the swim team for years, even after her own children were no longer on the team. Doreen continued her love of scouts and was a den mother for Pack 33 and later became the first female Pack Leader in Mecklenburg County. She later became the Girl Scout leader of Troop 411 and continued in this role for about 20 years and then worked on the Hornet’s Nest Council Gold Award committee for another 10 years before retiring from Girl Scouting with her 50 year award. For many years she was a member of the Landscapers Garden club. She loved her garden and spent many hours tending to her flowers and feeding the birds. She loved the wildlife too, as long as they didn’t eat her plants. After Doreen had raised her children she returned to the workforce as a secretary for Belk’s, a local CPA and then finally at the same company as John, Celanese. She retired early to take care of her first grandson as she did not want him to go to Daycare. Doreen was a devoted Christian and was very involved at her Church, St. Michael’s. She volunteered for 10 years as the church secretary was instrumental in starting the Michaelmas Fair that still continues. She hand sewed the children’s costume for the Christmas pageant (including all the animals) and helped with numerous other events such as the dinner theater, British tea and special events. Doreen was a wonderful lady and always strived to be a friend to anyone that needed one. She always kept the British side of her, knowing that all problems could be solved with a cup of tea. She loved her children and was always there for them, from mending a skinned knee to volunteering at school, sewing uniforms, driving to practices, to just being there for advice or a shoulder to cry on. She always made sure that birthdays were special, and holidays were wonderful. She taught her children to be good, honest and loving adults. She would often tell them “if you don’t have anything good to say about someone, don’t say anything at all.” Doreen was the kind of woman that when she found a dollar bill in a parking lot would take it into the nearest store and turn it into the lost and found. She could not have set a better example for her children. She encouraged her children to be independent but always kept a close eye. Even into adulthood she was there for every special moment in her children’s lives. Her loving and caring nature was instrumental in her grandkids’ lives. She created wonderful memories with them that included playing on the floor with them with Winnie-the-Pooh toys to reading stories to them as they fell asleep at their sleepovers with Grandma. She helped them grow in their faith as she read Bible stories to them from a young age, answering every question they had time and time again. Every Christmas they were eager to get to Grandma’s house where she prepared an amazing British Christmas that they would brag to their friends about when they returned to school in January. She was incredibly supportive of all her grandkids, attending every loud and scratchy lower school orchestra concert and still saying they sounded amazing. She was constantly willing to help in any way she could whether it was driving them to sporting events or simply being there when they needed her. She encouraged them to pursue a variety of activities and helped them grow in each of these areas, ranging from helping them read sheet music to feeding balls to them on the tennis court. She is survived by her devoted husband John Duncan Gibbon; her three children, David Phillip Gibbon of Melbourne Fl., Andrew Michael Gibbon of Charlotte, NC, and Susan Gibbon Crosby of Matthews, NC; daughter-in-law, Natalie Trusdell Gibbon; son-in-law, Phillip William Crosby; and grandchildren, Allen William, Michael Ian, and Lara Elizabeth Crosby. A memorial service to celebrate Doreen's life will take place at Saint Michael the Archangel Anglican Church, 2221 Margaret Wallace Rd, Matthews, NC 28105 with a graveside service to follow in the church cemetery gardens in which the announcement of date and time will be forthcoming.

Doreen Ivy Gibbon

March 11, 1932 - August 1, 2020