Georgia Gibson

In the early morning hours of Monday the 9th of April 2012, my beloved wife and best friend, Georgia Ann (Martin) Gibson, passed away gently in her sleep. She was in the hospital, recovering from a lengthy case of pneumonia with complications, but her frail body finally succumbed to the trauma and suffering caused by her childhood polio, and a lifetime battle and triumphs over physical challenges. Georgia was born a fiery red head on “G Day” June 9, 1944 at the Army Airfield Hospital in Harlingen, TX in Cameron Co. Her mother says the only other family member with red hair was her Great-Grandfather James Albert Eagle. Georgia honored me by becoming my wife on February 14, 1981 at St. Luke's Methodist Church in Austin; she picked the date so I would never have an excuse for forgetting our anniversary, and for 31 wonderful years, I never did.

My Georgia had a very rough life—she had polio when 2 months old, and suffered through physical disabilities and pain throughout most every day of every year she was with us, but never surrendered, or made excuses for herself. She had goals, and worked hard to achieve them, and along the way she brought the warmth of sunshine to her family, her friends and many acquaintances. She survived her polio, nine years of her childhood in a convalescent hospital in Tulsa and the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Shreveport, along with 7 back fusions and 5 leg surgeries, and eventually in 1984 confinement to a wheelchair. All of these challenges however never dampened her indomitable spirit of adventure, her desire for achievement, or her zest for life. She attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, on a piano scholarship, was a member of the Phi Mu Sorority, and then graduated from the University of Texas in Austin, with a BA in Psychology. She worked for the State Comptroller of Texas, then a cosmetic firm, and then completed a 23 year career in IBM as a Software Human Factors Scientist and International Software Service Planner. While working at IBM in software usability, she was awarded two software patents, published and presented numerous papers at conferences, and published 24 IBM Technical Bulletins. Though in a wheelchair she traveled throughout the country and experienced a great part of our Nation's beauty, and she was even sent by IBM to London, Stockholm, Gotenburg, and Helsinki to conduct customer support conferences. She loved to travel and see new things, and we did so whenever we could to include travels through Germany. She also was awarded the Disabled Person of the Year by the Austin Mayor's Committee for the Disabled.

In 2000 she had to retire from IBM on disability, and became a member of a local and an international Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS) support group. She and her fellow polio survivors educated people about the horrible effects of PPS through local newspapers and TV shows. In 2005 she set out to personally thank the Shriners for their help to her when she was a child, and made several presentations to Shriners gatherings demonstrating to them how appreciative she and others were of their dedicated efforts. She even returned to Shriners Hospital in Shreveport to help them celebrate their 83rd year of helping crippled children, and was highlighted on a local talk radio station. She also contributed a photo, and two stories of her experiences that were included in the 2005 “Whatever happened to Polio” exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington DC. She liked to stay busy doing crocheting, counted cross-stitch, scrap-booking, and other crafts. She also enjoyed making slide shows and doing family tree research and documentation. She missed singing in the church choir, but enjoyed singing to the Oldies at home. She also loved to play cribbage and SkipBo with her dear friends from IBM and Southwestern days.

I feel truly blessed to have been able to share even a part of my life with Georgia, she was the best friend I ever had, and she will forever be the true love of my life. She is survived by her loving husband Bob Gibson, their daughters Carrie Gibson, and Debbie Siebert, our five grandchildren and one great granddaughter who all lovingly called her GiGi, and her sister-in-law Gaye Magliolo. My Georgia was the bravest, and strongest person I ever knew, yet her sweet laughter and beaming smile was always there; freely given by her to all around her. Her impeccable character and fortitude came from her internal strength and wisdom, but also from her loving family and dear friends. Her step-father Jim Mungerson recently passed away, but Georgia is also survived by her mother Emily Mungerson, her sisters Valorie (Robert)Garza, Leah (Butch) Harding, Marilyn Mungerson (Jeff Alley), and Melinda (Jamie) Carter, and many Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Nieces, Nephews, and many, many friends. You will forever be in our hearts and memories.

We will have a visitation for Georgia at Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home at 2900 Williams Drive in Georgetown, Texas on Wednesday April 11th from 6:00 to 8:00pm. We will also have a graveside service at 9:00 am on Thursday April 12th at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd in San Antonio, Texas. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Arrangements under the direction of Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home, 2900 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78628 (512)863-2564.