Cloudy, 36° F
(Dec. 22, 1933 - April 4, 2017)
Carol LaVerne Packard Gibbens was born December 22, 1933, in Buena Vista to LaVerne Larkin Packard and Walter Packard. She passed peacefully into the arms of our Lord at home surrounded by loved ones April 4, 2017.
Carol attended Buena Vista Schools and graduated May 25, 1951. She worked for the Burke Family at their café during her childhood and as a young woman worked for Mountain Bell.
On May 15, 1954, she married Theodore “Pete” Gibbens in Raton, New Mexico. They had 3 children, Joe, Janet, and Jill.
She worked for the Buena Vista School District, Vista Market and Dr. Gerome Steinhauer, DDS. Some of Carol’s many hobbies included ceramics, reading, music, and square dancing. She loved her kitchen in which she spent her days cooking & baking.
Pete and Carol travelled quite a bit to places including Canada, Hawaii, and a very special trip to Acapulco with Irv and Barb Avery. Pete’s job took them to Cody, Wyoming, where she worked at K-Mart but every 6 to 8 weeks she would return back home. She taught Sunday School, Choir, and Christian education. She was very active with that until they moved to Cody. She was a member of the American Legion Aux, Delphi Club, Grange, BVHS Booster Club, PTA, Girl Scouts Leader and Neighborhood chairman, active with the Rainbow girls, and a member of UCC church.
Carol was preceded in death by parents Laverne and Walter Packard, brother Joe Packard, Grandparents Alice and Joe Larkin, and Grandmother Ethel Nachtrieb.
She is survived by Husband Theodore “Pete” Gibbens, son Joe Gibbens Rio Rancho, NM, daughters Janet Moore Gunnison, CO, and Jill Buttermore (Roy) Gypsum, Grandchildren Clint Moore, Grant Laman (Danielle-fiancé) and Jacquelynn Laman, and brother Walter Russell Packard (Judy), as well as many special cousins and additional family members.
Memory gifts can be made to United Church of Christ Buena Vista, CO, 81211 or Heart of the Rockies Home Health & Hospice P.O. Box 1168 Salida, CO, 81201.
Carol’s service will be held on April 29, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the United Congregational Church of Christ in Buena Vista, Colorado, with a luncheon to follow.
