James Thomas Gibbons Sr.

James Thomas Gibbons, Sr., 91, longtime resident of Cleveland, passed away at 7:43 Friday morning, January 22nd, at Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville, TN. Jim was born in Mascot, TN born March 19, 1924 to Mae and Fain Gibbons with one brother, Sterlin (Buddy) Gibbons (all preceded him in death). He knew bride Lorene Pendergrass Gibbons only two weeks before their marriage in Dalton, GA (you didn't have to have a blood test in Georgia) on June 14th, 1944. She was the love of his life. Married 67 years till her death Christmas Day 2011, their life began in the stormy days of furloughs and invasions and love and loss called World War II. Immediately returning to the front after their marriage, Fireman First Class Gibbons served aboard the USS Portland, a Heavy Cruiser. The Portland fought in campaigns at the Aleutian Islands, Gilbert and Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, and New Guinea. She was involved in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, engaging Japanese ships in the decisive Battle of Surigao Strait, the last fleet to fleet face off in modern warfare history. She then conducted shore bombardments at Lingayen Gulf and Corregidor Island, where Dad saw General MacArthur wade into shore saying "I have returned". In 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa, his best friend and bandmate Vincent "Stoney" Stonestreet, was killed by a Kamikazee - this memory bothered Jim for years. Jim played and sang country music in a country & western band that broadcast to the fleet, once playing for an Australian Battleship crew that left for tea time half way through their show. Following World War II, Portland accepted the Japanese surrender in the Caroline Islands. The Japanese General demanded everyone salute him but not one officer or enlisted man raised an arm. The Portland was one of the most decorated ships in the U.S. fleet.with sixteen battlestars. Jim had eleven of them. The Portland shot down 22 Kamikazees and rescued over 2200 Marines. Dad and his brother Buddy were both Navy veterans. Dad spent 13 years in the Navy and 35 years as a Millwright at DuPont, eventually contracting Asbestosis from both the Navy and DuPont. When Buddy and his wife Norma and the kids Sterlene, 2 Debbie, Steve, and Scott moved from Knoxville to Cleveland, he really enjoyed the years spent being closer. Jim was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church. He was Treasurer of the Methodist Men, Sunday School founding member with Joe Hogan, a member of the Chancel Choir, chaperoned countless Bell Choir and UMYF trips up and down the east coast of the United States, collected the church's uneaten food every Thursday morning after Wednesday Night Supper and took it to the Cleveland Homeless Shelter for a decade, chartered Troop 136 at First Church in the late sixties and remained scoutmaster and committeeman for four decades. Jim was recipient of the Silver Beaver as a Boy Scout Leader and member of The Order of the Arrow. He initially built the troop by signing orphaned boys from The Tomlinson Home for Children. Jim admonished the other scouts to never complain about how the kids dressed or smelled. In 1966 Jim was the Bradley County campaign chairman for late Senator Howard Baker. Lorene and Jim had a son, Tommy, in 1958, and they enjoyed especially good family times throughout their lives together. Trips with the their camper to fish, Washington, DC, the beach - they all became familiar Summer vacation targets. Family highlights included a trip to The New York Comic Art Convention in 1973 where we met Bat Man Creator Bob Kane and late pop star David Bowie. When Jim's wife Lorene became ill, Jim became a caregiver for seven years before her death. When he wasn't taking care of mom he paid weekly visits to local nursing homes, giving military pins he would collect from Cleveland's armed services recruiting service to invalid vets. Jim had two very special daughters that weren't daughters by marriage. Mary Ann Copes, his niece, meant so much to him that he took time off from work to take her to a series of eye operations in Atlanta, Georgia. His other daughter Jim called "his buddy." Even though his son had divorced his wife, Kathy, dad remained friends with "his buddy" Kathy until his passing. Jim adored his grand daughter, Wren Gibbons, and loved to attend her music and athletic events during his years in Knoxville. He never failed to ask, "How is 3 Wren doing?" After he moved to Assisted Living her visits were like gold to him. Jim loved UT football. His childhood memories of George Cafego in 1938 and 1939 impressed dad and the nation with a record that stands to this day. NO ONE scored on them. Jim saw Cafego growl at Gay Street gawkers as Cafego would ride the trolley up and down the street. The family would like to thank Edana Herrell, Raintree Terrace, CADE Senior Days Out, The Ben Atchley State Veteran's Home, and the Parkwest Medical Center for their years helping Jim after his move to live with his son (Lorene's passing had left an echo in his Cleveland home). Jim treasured all his friends and family. This group includes a very special group of relatives from upper east Tennessee and the rolling hills of Jefferson County: Beatrice Hurst, Annie and Johnny (deceased) Flynn (and children Amy, Randy, and Jeff. Charles and Joyce Hopkins, Lola and Wes (deceased) Rickard, Tim and Amy Reece, Patsy Gibbons, Johnny Gibbons, Emma Sue and Fred Walker, Ronnie and Janie Walker, David Gibbons, Tom and Nora Gibbons, Don and Carolyn Lancaster (deceased), Robert and Donna Miniat, Matthew Crowe, Samantha Crowe Hansen, Opal Cameron, Frank and Karen Cameron, Josh, Darrell and Wendell Cameron, deceased first cousins, Dorothy Gibbons Lawless, Harlan Gibbons, Margie Hopkins Guinn, Sam, Ralph, Thelma (Long) Skeen, William Noah (Bubby) Hopkins, friend Imogene Davis of Chattanooga, incredible in-laws John Carson of Batesville, MS (deceased), Margerie Carson of Batesville, -Johnny and Pamela Carson, Batesville, MS, Mike and Ellen Carson, Batesville, MS, Jeff and Stephanie Carson (Chloe and Stella) Franklin, TN, Brent and Amanda Barrentine (Logan and Riley), Brentwood, TN, Alan and Lauren Denton, Chattanooga,TN, Cliff and Shea Griffin (Carson), Cleveland, TN, Emma and Maggie Pendergrass of Chattanooga (also deceased), Lola Pendergrass, Charles Burchfield, and Roy Renner (all deceased of Cleveland), Bobby Butler, and Bobbie Pendergrass (deceased) all Clevelanders. Brad and Wendy Benton of Charleston, Dwyne and Sarah Murray of Hendersonville, Larry Burchett of Knoxville, Jane Lowe of Cleveland (deceased), Mary Glenn Davis of Cleveland, Kenny Copes of Athens, GA, John and Tona DiTore of Kodak, TN, Tom and Nell Donnelly of Arden, NC, Stephen Medley, Tom and Nan Hentz, Ella and the late Wayne Partin, Joe and Phyllis Lemons, Pat and Joe Hogan, Rhonda Ingram, Penny Smith, Andy Lowe, Ann Smelzter (special thanks to you Ann-you helped Lorene many times with your extraordinary nursing skill), Valerie Gibbons of Niota, TN, Bobbie Pendergrass of Venice, FL, and Janey and Danny Cooke of Charleston TN. Bobbie June Benton of Charleston, Richard Pendergrass of Venice, Florida (deceased), Ralph and Charleen Potter of Cleveland, Gayle Oliver of Chattanooga, Faye and Mike Maroon of Athens, Stan, Trisha, Abby, and James Pendergrass of Florence, South Carolina, Kenny Copes of Athens, GA, Bobbie Jane, Bambi, Jennifer, Travis, and Robert Dial of Chattanooga, Brian and Travis Smith of Cleveland, Jane Dial of Nashville,. Lindsey and Tristan Wagner, Britney Cooke, Tami and Bailey Mayhugh all of Cleveland, Valerie Gibbons of Niota, Dwyne and Sarah Murray of Nashville, John and Tona DiTore of Kodak, Gibbons, Tony Potter of Cleveland, Holly Benton of Knoxville, Steve Benton of Cleveland, TN, Neely, Luke, Parker, Wendy and Brad Benton of Charleston and Joanne, Michael, Marc, and Mitchell Lyle (both deceased) of Chattanooga. A special note about four very special friends. They double and triple-dated as teenagers, the men fought the axis in WWII, the girls were employed in war defense, they had families, and after the dust settled they traveled and ate out together like they were connected at the hip. Joe and Mary Katherine Ledford (Joe is deceased), and Jess and Wanda Greene have been friends of mom and dad’s since the 1930s. The bond these six has is timeless and though Joe and Lorene (and now Jim) have departed, they gaze down from heaven with the love 5 only true friends understand. Dad loved his friends and neighbors dearly; he also formed closed relationships with those he encountered in scouting and church work. He loved like he had never been hurt, danced like nobody was watching, worshiped God with the fervency of a long-time believer, gave like he didn’t need money, and offered advice and nurturing with the heart of a sage. Thank you for helping so many wounded Marines, Boy Scouts, the homeless, and being your wife's caregiver for seven years. We love you. A Remembrance of Life Service will be held at 11:00am Wednesday at Jim Rush Funeral and Cremation Services North Ocoee St. Chapel with Rev. Pat Hogan officiating. The family will receive friends from 9:00 AM until 11:00am Wednesday at the funeral home. Graveside Services will be conducted at 12:30 PM at the U. S. National Cemetery in Chattanooga with military honors. Dick Moisan, Larry Burchett, Kenny Copes, Tony Potter, Steve Gibbons, and Scott Gibbons will serve as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to First United Methodist Church, and on the memo line/note section indicate "Troop 136."Read Obituary