Carey Lord Gibbs passed away Monday evening October 9, 2017, following a noble fight against a cancer diagnosis received shortly after celebrating his 85th birthday with family and friends.
Carey was born July 5, 1932, to Robert Aubrey and Margie Lord Gibbs. He was raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, with his sisters, Marian and Laurie, and brothers, Thomas Adin, Roger, Carl, and Ed.
As a young man in North Carolina, Carey enlisted in the Navy and traveled to Southern California to serve his country. While stationed in San Diego from 1950 to 1954, he served as the Chaplain’s assistant.
Following his discharge from service he went home to North Carolina, only to return to complete his education as a music major from Chapman College and make California his permanent home. In later years, Carey received his Master’s Degree from California State University at Fullerton.
Carey was the choir director and taught reading at Anaheim High School from 1959 to 1996. During those 37 years, he was known affectionately as Mr. Gibbs by students who loved and appreciated him so much. He left an indelible impression on so many of his students. Throughout the years, he and his wife would encounter so many of his former students along life’s way and often hear so much expression as to what a difference and influence Carey had made in their lives.
Carey also served as Minister of Music at several large churches over a period of more than 30 years. He enjoyed many years serving at Anaheim First Christian Church with their lifelong friends Rev. Ragon and Joyce Flannery from 1968 to 1984. Carey’s wife, always accompanying by his side, served as the church organist. Together, they brought beautiful music to many during Sunday church services, weddings, and funerals.
During his musical career, Carey also played the organ at the Wurlitzer exhibit on Main Street at Disneyland. In addition, he gave private instruction in voice, organ, and piano to many students through the years and also provided instruction to students at Fullerton Junior College.
In November 1966, Carey married his former student and choir accompanist, Linda Pebley. Carey and Linda would have celebrated their 51st anniversary in November. Together, they raised their family of five girls in Anaheim.
His greatest passions in life were God, family, music, and travel. Carey and Linda enjoyed more than 15 years of retirement together and traveled the beautiful lower 48 states extensively in their motorhome and even braved the Alaskan Highway for the trip of a lifetime. They returned to Alaska several times with various daughters to share this experience and the beauty.
Carey walked strong in his Christian faith and was a good and faithful servant. He knew exactly where he was headed in his final travels and he seemed at peace knowing the outcome. He was the greatest example to all of us by his strong faith, incredible love, amazing perseverance, and positive spirit.
All who knew Carey recognized him as a man of the highest moral integrity, who was loving, caring, compassionate, humble, humorous, always with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile in his heart, and always had a gentlemanly outreach to all he encountered. It was impossible to find anyone who didn’t love him and think he was the greatest of guys.
Carey is survived by his wife, Linda; daughter and son-in-law, Laurie and Bob Morey and granddaughters, Leah and Joy; daughter and son-in-law, Shirley and Rick Noble and grandchildren, Joshua, Jessica, Jason, and Jonathon; daughter, Patricia and grandchildren, Sarah and Steven; daughter and son-in-law, Marie and Fred Fanucchi and granddaughter, Kasey; and daughter and son-in-law, Carrie and David Montz and granddaughters, Sarah-beth and Caitlin.
Carey was also the loving and playful great grandfather to nine, with the tenth great grandchild expected in December. He was a wonderful and incredibly loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who was loved so deeply by all and will be missed immeasurably.
A memorial service will be held at 3:00pm, Friday, October 20, 2017, at Anaheim First Christian Church, 520 W. South St., Anaheim. The family will receive friends following the service at the home Carey loved so much in Anaheim.
Published in Orange County Register from Oct. 15 to Oct. 19, 2017
