Johnny Joe Gibson

Johnny Joe Gibson, 72, passed away on Saturday, February 26, 2022, in Las Cruces, surrounded by his wife, son-in-law, daughters, and grandchildren. Please take a moment and share a kind thought or memory with Johnny’s family at www.andersonbethany.com. SERVICES: There will be a Memorial Service at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home on Thursday, March 10, 2022, at 2:00 P.M. Interment will follow at McBride Veteran Cemetery. Reception to follow at Serenity Bingo Hall 1000 E Bland in Roswell. On July 14, 1949, Johnny was born to Alejandra (aka) Elsie Rodriguez Gibson in Roswell, NM. He enlisted in the United States Navy, serving on the USS Higbee DD 806, fighting Vietnam War. After leaving the Navy, Johnny served in the Army National Guard. While serving his country, he received several various awards. During Johnny’s time served in Vietnam, he also assisted in saving the life of Lt Barron Nelson. While getting off of one of the riverboats, Lt Nelson’s legs were severed by a propellor; as a result, Lt Nelson survived his injuries, and as a result, dad was awarded the Silver Star. Our dad rushed to his side, pulled him out of the water onto the beach, and placed a tourniquet on his leg until the helicopter landed to pick him up. He was not just our Hero, but he was a hero to many. He married Pauline Jaramillo on September 3, 1989, in Roswell, NM. Prior to retirement, Johnny worked in shipping and receiving for Levi Strauss & Co for 18 years. After Levi closed the factory, he worked as a heavy equipment operator for Ag Services and then a truck driver for Ruan Transportation. When he finally did “retire,” he volunteered his time to help the neighbors with their yards. He became the neighborhood yardman. He was such a kind-hearted, loving, friendly, and overall amazing person. He was loved and will be missed dearly by all. He loved helping others, it brought him lots of joy and happiness. Johnny ALWAYS had something wild and silly to say! We ask that you do us a favor and think of your favorite memory or favorite thing about our dad. Maybe a joke he always told, or something silly he said. Write it down now, or you could write it down at the memorial (paper/pen provided), there will be a basket to put them in for our reading later. We would just love to hear others’ stories about our dad and the special memories or things he did for everyone. Johnny will be missed tremendously by his family and friends. Those left to eternally treasure and cherish memories of Johnny are his wife, Pauline Gibson; children and spouses: Johnny Gibson and wife Melisa, Jennifer De La Paz and Husband DJ, and Priscilla Gibson; grandchildren: (Johnny Gibson)- Annastasia Gibson, Kerstin Scheetz, Donna, Ashlee, and James Gambrell, (Jennifer)- Keanu, Nicholas and Alyssa Ortiz, Britanny and Kenneth Miller, Ashley and Jeston Beaty, Mathew,Taylor, and Cody De La Paz and Dianna Martinez (Priscilla)- Carlos and Vanessa Chavez Chavez, (Rebecca)- Leticia Abeyta, Tatiana Gurrola, Jadynn and Trinity Bizzell; great-grandchildren: (Johnny)- Alexis Gambrel, Patrick Kennedy, Vincent and Aurora Hall, (Jennifer)- Shasta, Kenneth, Harley and Alicia Miller, Kai De La Paz, Sophia Beaty, and Ryan Carter De La Paz; 4th; siblings: Linda Gomez and husband Abel, Diane Flores and husband Florencio, Gary Gibson, Richard Gibson; brothers-in-law: Raymond Jaramillo and wife Rose, Jerry and Danny Jaramillo, Martin Talamantes; sisters-in-law: Dora and Lucille Jaramillo, Esther Gibson, Noami and Beatrice Jaramillo; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews that he loved dearly. Johnny felt very grateful for his bond with his in-laws, Joe Joe and Jenny De La Paz. He had so many friends near and far whom he was blessed to have in his life, just as their lives were blessed with his presence in their lives. He was loved by many and will be missed by all. Johnny was a believer in God, Our Lord, and Savior, Jesus or Jehovah, and it did not matter to him what the difference in beliefs was, he just wanted to have a closer relationship with Him. Thank you to Wayne Chiason and the brothers and sisters of the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall for sharing your beliefs with our father and for the love you had for him. Thank you to his son-in-law David De La Paz for praying the sinners’ prayer with dad prior to going into the hospital and for helping our dad accept Christ into his heart and praying beside him while he was in the hospital. He and Dad used to write scriptures on note pads back and forth every morning when he visited them in Las Cruces. Before his passing, he was blessed to be visited and prayed over by Senior Pastor Paul Vistine of Las Cruces First Assembly of God. He loved the Lord, and we know he is resting in the arms of our Heavenly Father. PRECEDED: Johnny is preceded in death by his daughter Rebecca Sedillo, brothers Micheal, Robert and Albert Gibson, Sister- Mary Lou Montoya, sister-in-Law, Maria Gibson, and Linda; Mother- Alejandra AKA Elsie Rodriguez Gibson, In-Laws- Felix and Priscilla Jaramillo, Nephew- Robert “Handsome” Richardson HONORARY PALLBEARERS: Blessed to be chosen as Honorary Pallbearers are his son Johnny Gibson, and grandsons, Keanu and Nicholas Ortiz and Carlos Chavez The family of Johnny wishes to extend sincere thanks to the Nurses, Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and anyone who assisted in our dad’s care and day-to-day needs at Three Crosses Hospital and Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces. MEMORIAMS: Johnny’s family suggests donations be made to any veteran or elderly in need of assistance in honor of Johnny. He would just want everyone to love one another, help each other, and pay it forward with good deeds. Johnny’s tribute was written in his honor by his family. Gods Garden God looked around His garden, and he found an empty place. He then looked down upon this earth and saw your tired face. He put his arms around you and lifted you to rest. God’s garden must be beautiful, He always takes the best. He knew that you were suffering, He knew you were in pain. He knew that you would never get well on earth again. He saw the road was getting rough, and the hills were hard to climb. So He closed your weary eyelids and whispered, “Peace be thine.” It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone. For part of us went with you, the day God called you home. We love you, we know you loved us, and we know you will always be with us. We got it from here, dad. Go rest high on that mountain……

Johnny Joe Gibson

July 14, 1949 - February 26, 2022