Mary Gibson

Mary Dorothy (Beekley) Gibson was born Jan. 10, 1931, in Oak Park, Illinois, the daughter of Henry Lee and Eliza Dorothy (Richey) Beekley. She grew up in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and graduated from Glenbard High School. During her teens she raced as a speed skater, the only organized competitive activity open to girls in her community, and for several decades held Illinois state high school records. She attended Colorado College, where she joined Gamma Phi Beta sorority and was active in campus organizations. At Colorado College, she was chosen for Who’s Who In American Colleges and as one of Eight Outstanding Senior Women, and graduated cum laude with an Bachelor of Arts degree. She spent several summers as a counselor and director at a camp for girls from inner city Chicago, worked for a year at a home for children recovering from rheumatic fever, then earned a Master of Social Work degree at Columbia University, after which she moved to Chicago and was employed as a caseworker with United Charities Family Service Bureau.

In Chicago, Mary met her future husband, Dr. Harry C. “Hi” Gibson and, shortly after their marriage in 1960, the couple moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his residency in ophthalmology. There, Mary was casework supervisor for Washtenaw County Juvenile Court. In 1963, the family came to Kalispell where Hi opened his medical practice and Mary became an at-home mom and community volunteer.

Through her tireless efforts and commitment, Mary impacted many lives and truly made the Flathead a stronger community. She was a Cub Scout and 4-H leader, helped form a foster parents support group, was active on many school committees, and served as a District no. 5 school trustee for nine years, three as board chair. In the ‘70s the family opened its home to a teenage foster daughter, and when her own boys were in high school, she and Hi provided homes for two international exchange students. Mary was a longtime member of the American Association of University Women and AAUW Lunch Bunch, was Kalispell Branch and Montana State AAUW president, served on several state and national AAUW committees and was director of the 1982 statewide Families and Work Conference. She was also a member, and served as an officer on the boards of several local organizations, including Flathead Youth Guidance Home, the Salvation Army, Neighbors In Need, Head Start, Flathead Pro Choice, and Glacier Symphony and Chorale. She served on the state boards of Montana Women’s Lobby and the Governor’s Advisory Council on Child Care, and the international board of the Virginia Gildersleeve Fund.

From 1988 to 1995 Mary was employed with Flathead Council for Families as coordinator for programs that provided mentoring to families at risk for child abuse and support for parents of young children. In 1995-97 she organized and led the Flathead Partnership to Strengthen Families, a coalition of local service agencies. Mary was a ski buddy with DREAM and Special Olympics for several years. She was an elder and a deacon of Kalispell First Presbyterian Church, where she was a longtime Sunday School teacher. Currently she was an associate member of the FVCC Foundation board. Mary was honored to be chosen as Beta Sigma Phi's 1982 Kalispell Lady of the Year, 1992 United Way Volunteer of the Year, and Kalispell Chamber's 1998 Great Chief. She received a 1983 Kalispell Soroptimist Women Helping Women Award, the 1995 Montana Governor's Celebration of Children Award, and the 2014 FVCC Montana Mentor Award. Mary was a 50-plus year member of Chapter C, P.E.O. and a supporter and volunteer with the Glacier Jazz Festival from its inception.

Mary and Hi enjoyed travel in this and other countries and made repeated visits to help at a mission in the Guatemala highlands. They enjoyed and supported local theater and music programs and regularly traveled to Seattle Opera performances. Mary especially enjoyed downhill skiing, as well as hiking with family and a special group of friends along Glacier Park, Jewel Basin, and other trails, and she made several trips to the Grand Canyon, which included rafting down the Colorado River and a memorable rim-to-rim hike.

In 2018, Mary and Hi moved to the Villas in the Immanuel Lutheran Home Communities where they greatly enjoyed activities and socializing with existing friends, as well as making many new and close friends.

Most of all, throughout her life Mary cherished active involvement with her family and good friends and the many rewarding adventures, hike and discussions with all of them.

The family and Mary especially have appreciated the excellent medical care of Dr. Michael Goodman and staff during Mary’s over 22-year battle with stage 4 breast cancer.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. H.C “Hi” Gibson, who passed away six days before her own death on Aug. 18, 2021, her sister-in-law Betty Greaves of Kalispell, and brother-in-law Ed Gibson of Columbia Falls.

Mary is survived by her three sons, David and wife Marca (Robbin) in Fairfield, Montana, and their children, Gage and Holt; Bruce in Columbia Falls, and his partner Eva Buker; Paul of Kalispell and his partner Marie Mitchell; brother Hank Beekley and his wife Theresa of Delmar, New York, and their family; and foster daughter Donna (Chabot) Griffus and her family of Diamond Lake, Washington.

Both Hi and Mary loved and cared deeply for the well being of the local community and would prefer to have their lives celebrated in a way that honored that care and compassion. In keeping with this, a private ceremony will be held on Oct. 16 at 10 a.m., with a livestream broadcast that can be viewed at https://youtu.be/7jZ3EOjb9fE. There will also be limited seating available at FVCC for those that wish to watch the livestream together; please call 406-219-7046‬ for more information.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Hi and Mary’s name be made to the Glacier Symphony and Chorale, the FVCC Foundation, or the Kalispell First Presbyterian Church.