Don Gibson
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mr. Don Gibson, 75, died Monday, Nov. 17,
2003, at Baptist Hospital.
He was born in Cleveland County, Shelby, April 3, 1932, to the late Solon and
Mary Magdalene Gamble Gibson. He was a singer, composer and musician in which
his career started with Mid-Day Merry Go-Round and Tennessee Barn Dance shows,
radio station WNOX, Knoxville, Tenn., 1951-1967, recording artist with RCA
Records, Nashville, Tenn., 1957-1970; appeared with station WSM Grand Ole Opry,
Nashville, Tenn., 1958-2003, where he was a member of the Opry and composer,
1955, recipient of numerous Citations of Achievement awards for musical
compositions Broadcast Music Inc., 1956-1975; recipient of numerous vocalist and
composers awards including, Best Country Record award, Automatic Music Industry
Am.,1958; Cash Box award, 1962. He was elected to Country Music Songwriters Hall
of Fame, 1973; Ireland Hall of Fame, 1984; CMA Hall of Fame, 2001; composer of
numerous songs including: Oh, Lonesome Me, 1958; Sweet Dreams, 1955; I Can’t
Stop Loving You, 1958 (Gold record); Blue, Blue Day, 1957; I’d Be A Legend In My
Time, 1960; Just One Time, 1960; Woman, Sensuous Woman, 1973 (Gold record). He
was a Mason and attended the Baptist Church of Shelby.
He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Barbara “Bobbie” Patterson Gibson of
Nashville, Tenn.; his mother-in-law, Sybil Sisk Patterson of Shelby; his
sister-in-law, Tamela P. Dodson of Wilmington; two brothers-in-law, Ronald
Patterson of Shelby and Lynn Dodson of Wilmington; two nieces, Diane Gibson
Patterson of Lexington, Ky., and Dana Patterson of Lexington, Ky.; and two
nephews, Ryan Dodson and Wesley Dodson, both of Wilmington.
A memorial service will be held at New Bethel Church of the Nazarene Saturday at
1 p.m. with the Revs. Reed Jones and Don McSwain officiating.
Burial will follow in Sunset Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Ronnie Patterson, Lynn Dodson, Scott Stinchcomb, Kim
Stinchcomb, Dan Stinchcomb and Bobby Smith.
Honorary pallbearers will be Richard H. Frank Jr., Ray Walker, Gordon Stoker,
Gavin Moon, Marvin Lanier, Harold Bradley, Freda Garrett, Dolly Parton, Brenda
Lee, Eddie Arnold, Jimmy Dickens, Porter Wagoner, Jerry Bradley, Horton Frank,
Joe DePriest, Don Everly, Phil Everly, Loretta Lynn, Skeeter Davis, Peggy Lamb,
Bob Whitaker, Ben Bass, Connie Smith, Roy Neil Acuff, Charlie Louvin, Sue
Thompson and John Loudermilk.
The family will receive friends tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. at Clay-Barnette
Funeral Home and other times at the home of his aunt, Shirley Stinchcomb, 700 W.
Warren St., Shelby.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, Happy Trails Humane
Association or the charity of the donor’s choice.
