Willie May Gibbs, Was born in Brooklyn, NY on April 11. 1932; to William Saitch and Sarah Reevese. She had a loving husband Mr. Willie Lee Gibbs of 25 years. Willie was deceased on January 31, 1984. Willie May was widowed for approx. 35 years.
She is survived by her two daughters; Wilma C. Gibbs- Lawrence and Mrs. Willa M. Gibbs- Gray. She also has two son-in-laws: Mr. Raymond Alvin Lawrence, and Mr. Andre M. Gray; Three grandsons; Mr. Maurice V. Gray, Mr. Brenden M. Gray and Mr. Raymond C. Lawrence.
Willie May was a loving and caring mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. She lived in New York for approx. 60 years then moved to New Jersey for two years. Then she relocated to Orlando, Florida to retire.
During her younger years she worked as a switchboard operator, at Chock Full A Nuts , medical facilities as an LPN and lastly as a Hospice LPN.
God blessed her to live a long life and see many exciting, harsh and wonderful times; some of them are as followed:
1.The Great Depression
2.World War ll
- Civil Rights Era
- The Cold War
- The Apollo Missions
- The Great Recession
- The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
- The Assassination of Malcolm X
- The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
10.The Watergate Scandal - The Death of Bob Marley
- The Death of Michael Jackson and several major artists of the 70’s, 80’s & 90’s.
- The Vietnam War
- The New York City Blackout
- The Bombing of the World Trade
- The Falling of Towers
- The First Supreme Court African American Judge: Thurgood Marshall
- The Winning of President Barack Obama (First African American President)
- Several Major Hurricanes: Charlie, Irene, Andrew, Francis, Wilma, Katrina, Ian
- The Covid-19 Virus & Strands.
These are just a few major events that our world has experienced; Willie M. Gibbs, survived to see them. Even though she survived a lot, she weathered these trying time with the grace of God. Some of her favorite pass times were spending time at the beach, particularly Coney Island, Prospect Park and Far Rockaway Beach. She loved New York City where she was born and grew up as a young girl.
Her favorite hobbies were singing, sewing, watching old western flicks and she was certainly an action movie junkie.
God truly blessed her with the ability to see her family blossom and grow. She will be greatly missed but NEVER forgotten. May God keep her in his hands until we meet again.
Love you Mom / Grams.
Funeral Service will be held November 5, 2022 at 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (ET). At DeGusipe Funeral Home & Crematory. 9001 N. Orlando Avenue. Maitland, FL 32751.
Reception will be held November 5, 2022 at 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM (ET). At DeGusipe Funeral Home & Crematory. 9001 N. Orlando Avenue. Maitland, FL 32751.