Randolph McKinley Gibbs Sr.

Published 5:54 pm Monday, December 8, 2014

MOULTRIE — Randolph McKinley Gibbs Sr., 82, died Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, at his home following an extended illness. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Trinity Baptist Church with the Rev. Matt Marston officiating. Interment will follow at Cobb Suncrest Memorial Gardens.

Casketbearers will be Marcus Wells, Bob Robertson, Clint Kadel, Mark Mobley, Roscoe Stallings, Kevin Sumner, Gary Swartzentruber, Robert Spruill, Reggie Gibbs and Larry Grogan. Honorary casketbearers will be Ferg Cowan, Bobby Stone, Lawton Matthews, Gettis Wingate, Leroy Gray, Jeff Jeffords, Teddy Mixon, employees of Mobley Gin Company and the agriculture teachers of Colquitt County High School.

Born Feb. 10, 1932 in Ocilla, Mr. Gibbs was the son of the late John Richard Gibbs Sr. and Mamie Harper Gibbs. He was a graduate of Mystic High School, ABAC and achieved an agriculture education degree from UGA. He served in the Army from 1954-56 and taught vocational agriculture for Worth County High School for 11 years.

Mr. Gibbs was a member and deacon of Trinity Baptist Church, chairman of the Colquitt County High School Agriculture Advisory Committee, member of the ABAC Homecoming Committee and served on the Colquitt County Livestock Committee. He was named Agribusiness Man of the Year for Colquitt County in 2010 and was a 50-year Mason of the Ocilla Masonic Lodge. He loved working with farmers at Mobley Gin Company, from where he recently retired. His “spare time” was spent at his cabin and pond in Ocilla. Mr. Gibbs was an avid Packer fan, member of the Touchdown Club and also loved the UGA Bulldogs.

He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. His family said he was known for his good barbecue, and he and “Mama Jane” entertained many friends at their annual Fourth of July barbecue at “the cabin.”

He was preceded in death by his brother and sister-in-law, J.R. Gibbs Jr. and Grace Gibbs, and a brother-in-law, Lamar Chapman.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Jane Grogan Gibbs of Moultrie; two children, Angela Gibbs White and husband William of Pearson and Andy Gibbs of Moultrie; two grandchildren, Jennifer White Pace and husband Travis of Easley, S.C. and Perry Gibbs White and wife Hayley of Baxley; two great-grandchildren, Harper Mae Pace and Lane Sheppard White; a sister, Dorothy G. Chapman of Ocilla; a special sister-in-law, Wanda Grogan of Athens; special families, Kevin, Suzanne, Hart and Hayes Sumner, Dr. Gary, Anne, Nicole, Wade, Grant and Lane Swartzentruber, and Dr. Robert, Brooke, Charlie, Wyatt, Ben and Andi Beth Spruill; his special caretakers, Tammy Salas, Judy Hancock, Wanda Jones, Patsy Banks and Denise Crews; and his beloved dog, Lady Bird.

The family would like to start a Randolph Gibbs Scholarship to be presented at the FFA banquet to a student desiring to attend ABAC and major in some area of agriculture. Donations may be sent to the Colquitt County Ag Department with memo “Randolph Gibbs Memorial Scholarship,” ATTN: Selena Norman, 1800 Park Ave., Moultrie, GA 31768.

Cobb Funeral Chapel is entrusted with arrangements.