Isabel G. Gibson, 86

Isabel G. Gibson, 86, 'went to be with her Maker' on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007, at Lakeview Care Center in Bigfork; escaping the pain and suffering of her mortal life 'for the joy and bliss of eternal life in heaven.' Isabel was born Sept. 28, 1920, the only child of Laurance E. and Ida (Fleming) Goit.

The family moved to southern California when she was 2 years old, after her father was hired by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. She attended school in the L.A. school system, graduating from Huntington Park High School in 1937.

She attended UCLA for one semester, but then married the love of her life, Bill, in 1938. They were married for 63 years, until his death in 2001.

Together they raised four sons, and when they were grown, she went back to college, earning a degree in social work from Cal State-Long Beach, and a master's degree from Chapman College.

She worked as a social worker for Orange County for 10 years, working primarily with Vietnamese refugees. After dealing with some serious health issues, she retired and moved to Corona, Calif., with her husband, Bill, where they resided until his death.

They were very active in the Presbyterian Church, helping to found both St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, Calif., in the 1950s and First Presbyterian Church of Corona. She served as a deacon and also as church secretary at the Corona church.

She was very talented and had many hobbies, including, reading, photography, traveling, sewing, stained-glass art and oil painting. She had her own darkroom, printing and framing many of her prints to give to family and friends as gifts. Late in life, she discovered she had a talent for painting, making her own Christmas cards for several years.

She and Bill enjoyed traveling, visiting their roots in Scotland and traveling to New Zealand, among many places.

She moved to Kalispell in 2003 to be nearer to her oldest son, and three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William H. Gibson, and one son, Laurance N. Gibson.

She is survived by her children, Edward Gibson and wife, Wendy, of Kalispell, David Gibson and wife, Nancy, of The Villages, Fla., and Donald Gibson and wife, Loy, of Irvine, Calif.; and 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Memorial services for Isabel will be held at a later date in California.

Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Isabel's family.