HERMITAGE, Pennsylvania (MyValleyTributes) – William B. Gibb, 74, of Hermitage, passed away peacefully under hospice care following a long battle with dementia, Wednesday morning, August 5, 2020, in Sharon Regional Medical Center.
Mr. Gibb was born September 24, 1945, in Grove City, Pennsylvania, a son of the late Wilbur R. and Helen (Elder) Gibb.
He was a 1963 graduate of Lakeview High School, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania and received his Bachelor’s Degree in History from West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon, West Virginia. Later, William earned his Master’s Degree in Social Studies and Education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and his principal certification from Westminister College, New Wilmington.
Bill was employed as a history teacher in the high school and taught elementary education for the Hermitage School District for 38 years. During his tenure at the school district, he also coached girls softball, boys baseball, boys golf and 9th grade boys basketball. During his sons’ little league years, he was a coach and manager in the Hermitage Little League.
Bill was a former longtime member of New Virginia United Methodist Church, Hermitage, where he served in many leadership roles for more than 36 years. Most recently, he was a member of Oak Grove Church, Mercer.
Bill was a member and past president of the Hermitage Education Association.
A civil war buff, Bill enjoyed attending the Mahoning Valley Civil War Roundtable, family vacations to Gettysburg’s battlefields and a month-long cross-country trip to Los Angeles, California, with stops of historical significance along the way. Later, he developed a day trip for Hickory High School sophomores to Gettysburg National Military Park to tour the battlefield and make history come alive.
A man of integrity and loyalty, Bill put his family and faith first. He made sure to support his children and grandchildren in all of their activities.
He is survived by his wife, the former Carol Tanner, whom he married September 2, 1967; a daughter, Amy Mattey and her husband, Don; two sons, Mark Gibb and David Gibb and his wife, Jessica, all of Hermitage; four grandchildren, Henry and Grace Gibb and Courtney and Austin Mattey; a sister, Robin Woodson of Radcliff, Kentucky; a brother, Robert Gibb of Endwell, New York; a brother-in-law, James Brenneman and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by a sister, Barbara Brenneman.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions be directed to the William B. Gibb Legacy Scholarship Fund, C/O the Community Foundation of Western PA and Eastern OH, 7 West State Street, Suite 301, Sharon, PA 16146 or by visiting www.comm-foundation.org/gibb
Calling hours will be 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 7, 2020 in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 East State Street, Sharon.
Funeral service will be private.
Interment will be in Morefield Cemetery, Hermitage.
A television tribute will air Friday, August 7, at the following approximate times: 5:17 a.m. on WKBN, 8:39 a.m. on FOX, 5:21 p.m. on WYTV and 6:35 p.m. on MyYTV.
