Edward Lee Gibbons

Mr. Edward Lee Gibbons passed away early Friday morning, July 3, 2015, at Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital.  He was 82 years old and was a member of Halls Chapel Church.

Born in Southside Chesconnessex, VA on August 24, 1932, he was the oldest child of the late John Braden Gibbons, Sr. and Myrtle Spence Gibbons.  He married the love of his life, Louetta Godwin Gibbons, in 1957. They shared 58 happy years together in Sanford, Virginia and enjoyed the love and life of two daughters, five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.  After they were moved from their longtime home in Sanford by Hurricane Sandy, they lived “up top” in Melfa with their daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Ron Matthews.

Edward (also known as “Ozark” and “Pop Pop”) was a true Eastern Shore waterman with Tangier blood.  His life working on the water began in his early teens, and didn’t end until he was 76 years old.  In between, he raised chickens, perfected his boat building abilities at Chris Craft and furthered his carpentry skills with J. Roland Dashiell & Sons.  Part of his legacy includes a small fleet of wooden deadrise workboats and skiffs as well as schools, bridges and condominiums.  He returned to work the waters of the Pocomoke Sound and focused on his boat building in 1976. He eventually reluctantly turned to a fiberglass skiff, but always pulled his peeler pots by hand.  In his spare time, he loved spending time with his family, fishing, steaming crabs, telling jokes, square dancing, traveling a bit, experimenting in the kitchen and building models of his workboats.  He also enjoyed learning about nearly anything, but in particular investing, the environment, extreme fishing and anything to do with NASCAR and Professional Wrestling.

Other than his parents, he was predeceased by his eldest daughter, Diana Gibbons Bonniwell; his mother-in-law, Irene W. Godwin; father-in-law, John Nathan Godwin; brother, Dickie Gibbons; sister-in-law, Peggy G. Miller and her husband Melvin; and four brothers-in-law, Johnny Godwin and his wife Margie, Andrew Parks, Ronnie Whitmore, and Olin Mears.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Tammy Gibbons Matthews and her husband Ron Matthews, Jr. of Melfa, VA; son-in-law Reade Bonniwell of Quinby, VA; a brother, Johnny B. Gibbons, Jr. and his wife Rosemary of Bloxom, VA; a sister, Lois Ann Mears of Onancock, VA; four sisters-in-law, Milicent Gibbons of Bloxom; Roberta Chance and her husband Eddie of Sanford, VA, Ann Pruitt and her husband Johnny of Pocomoke City, MD, and Sylvia Whitmore of Smithfield, VA; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Christy L. Baylis, her partner Shawn Gaston, their son Aiden and his daughter Shanon of Edinburgh, VA, Cindy L. Daniels, her husband Brian of Blacksburg, VA, their children Connor and Caitlin, Connie L. Cooper, her husband Skyy and their daughter Elyana of Christiansburg, VA, Ashleigh M. Miller, her husband Matthew and their sons Brayden and Liam of Pikeville, NC, and Justin E. Matthews of Onancock, his wife Brittany and their daughter Mayson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be conducted from the graveside at the Wachapreague Cemetery on Monday, July 6, 2015 at 11:00 a.m., with Pastor Freddie Ward officiating.  There will be a visitation at the Williams-Onancock Funeral Home, Sunday, July 5, 2015, from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m.

Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Lighthouse Ministries, 18317 N R North Street, Keller, VA 23401, or to the American Lung Association, 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60601. 

Memory tributes may be shared with the family at www.williamsfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements by the Williams-Onancock Funeral Home.