Gibbons, Anna (Age 71, Owen Sound And Formerly Wingham)

Anna Maria GIBBONS (née Rebalski), with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mom, Anna, after a courageous battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy on January 19, 2020. Born in Doncaster, England, on June 3, 1948, Anna was the eldest child of Kay Rebalski (née Noney), a British teacher, and Kazimierz Rebalski, a Polish fighter pilot. Along with her younger brother, Nicholas, the family emigrated by steamship to Canada in 1952 and settled in Hamilton, Ontario. 
Anna attended Loretto Academy in Hamilton and then McMaster University where she received degrees in Sociology and Social Work. She was part of the first graduating class for Social Work at McMaster in 1971.
In the spring of 1972, Anna married to Richard Gibbons. They had two children, Maria and Jonathan, and in 1978 relocated to Wingham, Ontario. There, they established an insurance practice together which they ran for over 30 years; making a lifetime of friendships while raising their children. Anna was also very fond of animals and was ‘Mom’ to several generations of cats. When retirement came in 2012, Anna and Richard moved from Wingham and put down roots in Owen Sound, on the edge of Georgian Bay, where their daughter and her family live. Her son, who was working in Toronto, moved his family to California in 2015, providing Anna with a sunny winter escape and many fond travel memories.
Over the years, Anna was incredibly active in the lives of her children and family. She actively participated with the local Catholic Church, elementary and high school parent councils, and supported her children through a wide assortment of community and after-school functions: Cubs, Girl Guides, school plays, music and vocal competitions, sports events, ‘you-name-it’!  Anna made sure she was engaged in everything that influenced the upbringing of her children. She continued that commitment and involvement with her grandchildren as they grew and took part in many of the same activities.
Anna loved the outdoors and spent time camping and boating with her family, taking regular trips out and around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, as well as to her family’s cottage on Diamond Lake. In the winter, Anna cross-country skied and regularly took her kids and their friends on local trails. Her culinary skills were honed from years of cooking side-by-side with her mother and she often found moments of great happiness cooking in the kitchen, as well as leading the charge for holiday meals, including making her annual Christmas pudding and trifle for her family to enjoy.
She is survived by her husband, Richard; daughter Maria and Jon, and son Jonathan and Tanya; brother Nick and Gilian, and grandchildren: Emily, Sophie, Ethan – and soon arriving – a baby girl. She will also be missed by her nieces, nephews and the many friends we have come to think of as family.
She was the kindest person we have ever known, always humble, thoughtful and ready to help others and never raised her voice.  She taught us to find joy and happiness in everything, no matter the circumstance. Words cannot express how much she will be missed; a private cremation has already taken place and a small memorial is being planned in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Grey Bruce.  

Categorised in: Obituaries

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