June 7, 2022 – West Bend, WI – Carolyn Jean Gibson (née Kappe), 92 of West Bend passed away Monday, July 5, 2022 at Froedtert West Bend Hospital.
She was born March 27, 1930 in Beecher, Illinois, the daughter of the late Henry C. Kappe and Ella (née Fiene) Kappe. Carolyn grew up in Beecher and graduated from Beecher Community High School in 1948. She graduated in 1951 from St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing, which is now part of Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, the hospital where, she met her partner for life, Dr. Richard Davis “Dick” Gibson. The two were married on November 28, 1952 at St. Luke’s Evangelical & Reformed Church in Beecher, Illinois. After Dick’s internship and surgical training, they moved to West Bend in 1955 where she worked as an R.N. in her husband’s office and later at Cedar Lake Nursing Home. They shared 67 wonderful years together and raised four sons and one daughter.
Carolyn spent most of her life caring for their five children and being involved in many areas of volunteer work. She was involved in the West Bend Women’s Club, the Optimist Club, Partners of St. Joseph’s Hospital and she served as the first woman president of Immanuel United Church of Christ.
Among her other interests, Carolyn enjoyed needlework, playing the piano, painting, bridge and playing golf and socializing with family and friends at the West Bend Country Club. She loved to travel with her family and had many memorable trips with her sister Gerry and the “Two Marilyn’s.”
Those Carolyn leaves behind to cherish her memory include her four sons: Richard (Kristine Mooney) Gibson M.D. of Palmetto, FL; James (Anita) Gibson of Eden Prairie, MN; Robert (Sheree) Gibson M.D. of West Bend, WI; and Thomas (Tracy) Gibson of Stockbridge, WI and her son-in-law William Anderson of Brookfield, WI. She leaves ten grandchildren: Jennifer (Keith) Rishavy; Madeleine (Adam Martz) Gibson; Emma Gibson M.D. (Fiancé, Ben Knight M.D.); Mollie (Andrew Weber M.D.) Gibson; John “Jack” Gibson; Samuel Gibson (fiancée, Dr. Sara Taake); Henry Gibson; Abbey Gibson; Mateos Fleischman; and David Gibson Anderson, and two great-grandchildren Wesley and Winnie Rishavy. She also leaves sister-in-law Mary (Gibson) Murdock and brother-in-law Harry (Sharyn) Gibson M.D. as well as other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Richard, her daughter Jane Carolyn (Anderson) Gibson, her parents, parents-in-law Oscar and Ada Marion Gibson, sister Geraldine “Gerry” and brother-in-law Robert Duefel, niece Susan (Duefel) Burdge, and brother-in-law Fredrick Murdock.
Visitation will take place Friday, July 8th, from 1:00 p.m. until the service at 2:00 p.m., at Immanuel United Church of Christ, 501 Walnut Street, West Bend. Private burial to follow at Washington County Memorial Park.
Donations and Memorials can be to your favorite charity or Immanuel UCC, are appreciated. The family would like to thank the care team at New Perspectives Senior Living Center and Heartland Hospice.
