Mary Margaret Gibbs

Our beloved mother, Mary Margaret Gibbs (92) passed away on October 12, 2022, after a battle with dementia. Mary was born on January 30, 1930, in Kimball, NE, raised in San Francisco, attended high school in Salt Lake City at St. Mary’s of the Wasatch Catholic boarding school where she met Katie Gibbs Knudsen who introduced her to her brother Bill, who became Mary’s future husband. She spent the remaining years of her life on the Gibbs Ranch.

With her husband, William (Bill) B. Gibbs of 59 years, they raised seven children. Mary was in the ranching business for 74 years and was confident that the legacy of the ranch would continue under the care of the fourth and fifth generation of Gibbs family ownership.

Mary was a strong, resourceful, compassionate Catholic woman whose faith, and adventurous, fun-loving spirit carried her through the challenges of life. She was a big city girl, who at the age of 18 married the love of her life and moved to a remote ranch 40 miles out of the small town of Wells. Mary courageously adjusted and enjoyed the country life. Bill often spoke of his love for his fiery red headed Irish wife.

As a dedicated rancher’s wife, Mary was actively involved with multiple responsibilities on the ranch while raising seven children. She kept the books, prepared taxes, and managed communications for the ranch. Many long hours of hard work involved preparing and serving meals to; the branding crew, the cowboys driving the herd of beef cattle to the stockyards in Deeth, the hay crew, and in later years her own children and relatives who replaced the ranch hands. Mary and Bill received recognition for being the most reliable weather data recorders over many years.

Mary enjoyed hosting Farm Bureau meetings for neighboring ranchers, square dances, and picnic socials. She was a member of the Cowbells, the Women’s Cattleman’s Association.

Mary homeschooled for part of a year and then initiated the establishment of a country school located at the ranch. As her children grew older, she moved to Wells during the school week caring for her children and elderly father-in-law. During these years she was an active member of the PTA.

Mary blessed and enriched her family’s life by introducing them to our loving merciful God and raised her children in the Catholic faith. She enhanced this faith by inviting priests to the ranch to celebrate Mass, arranging nuns to teach catechism at the ranch, and in later years teaching catechism herself. As a lifelong member of the Catholic Church, Mary was a faithful supporter of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Wells, NV, and was actively involved in serving the needs of the parish as a member of the ladies' altar society.

Mary fervently supported her husband Bill with his many endeavors on multiple county boards, commissioner elections, as well as numerous positions in agriculture, federal, utility, and health associations.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband William B. Gibbs, her sister Barbara Rosendahl, grandchildren Nicole and Alex Andrae, great grandson Jesse Pengelly, and daughter-in-law Lana Gibbs. Mary is survived by her children Sandy (Rick) Depaoli of Fernley, William H. Gibbs of Gibbs Ranch, Barbara (Jim) Patterson of Gig Harbor, WA, Margaret Gibbs of Wells, Theresa (Jerry) Dinkins of Twin Falls, ID, Sarah (Gary) Botts of Metropolis, and Susan (Rick) Novak of Carson City; 17 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, and 6 great-great grandchildren.

Mary was a faithful loving Catholic woman who will be deeply missed.

A rosary will be held at 5:30 pm on November 3, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Wells, NV. The funeral mass will be held at 9:00 am on November 4, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Elko, NV. Following the service, everyone is invited to a reception in the parish hall. Interment at Gibbs Ranch Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be sent to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church at PO Box 369, Wells, NV 89835 or Cure Alzheimer’s Fund at cureaalz.org/giving/donate

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