Mary Elizabeth Gibson

Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Gibson went to be with the Lord early Sunday morning, June 15, 2013 at Solterra Senior Living in Lakeside, Arizona. She was born on November 1, 1929 in Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana to her parents, the late Carl O. and Hortense (Rogers) Burke. Betty moved to Phoenix, Arizona when she was 5 years old. She graduated from A.S.U. in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and received her Master of Arts in Education from N.A.U. in 1979. She moved to Pinetop in the early 1970s with her husband, Bill Taylor, who died in 1983. They lived in the home that her father built in the 1950s. She first taught in McNary and then retired from teaching Special Education at Blue Ridge. Betty was active in the White Mountain Women's Club and the Red Hat Society. She was a very talented woman and enjoyed many hobbies including: sewing, stained glass, tole painting, scrapbooking, dollhouses, dolls, collectibles, square dancing, arts & crafts, gardening, fishing, crocheting, camping, and cruises. She traveled all over the world. She remarried in 1994 to Robert James Gibson who is currently living at Solterra under the care of Hospice Compassus as well as the wonderful caregivers at Solterra. They shared 19 wonderful happy years together. Betty is survived by her husband, Robert James Gibson; her sister, Jean Massetto; her daughter, Diana Jeanne of Pinetop; her sons: Gary and Dale Ellerd; her step-daughters: Carol Millette and Jet Hanson; her step-sons: Michael Taylor, Jim and Michael Gibson; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Solterra Senior Living, 5408 Arizona Highway 260 in Lakeside, Arizona at 1:00 P.M., Saturday, June 22, 2013. A graveside service will follow at the Lakeside Cemetery at 2:30 P.M. Memorial contributions, in her name, to The White Mountain Hospice Foundation, P.O. Box 1975, Lakeside, Arizona 85929 have been suggested by her family. Owens Livingston Mortuary - White Mountain Chapel cared for the arrangements.