MARTHA W. GIBBS
May 3, 2019
Funeral services for Martha Gibbs, 84 year old longtime Buffalo resident who passed away Friday morning at the Johnson County Health Care Center, will be held Friday, May 10th at 2:00 p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Buffalo with Father Doug Wasinger officiating. Visitation will be from the Harness Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday from 1:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Interment will be in Willow Grove Cemetery with graveside services to follow the funeral. Donations in Martha’s memory may be made to the Jim Gatchell Museum in care of the Harness Funeral Home at 351 N. Adams in Buffalo. Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com
Martha Douglas Walker was born on August 29, 1934 in New York, New York to Kenneth and Alida Walker. She started elementary school in New York and moved with her family to Sheridan, Wyoming where she attended Beckton School. She went to boarding school at Miss Porter’s School a private school, in Farmington, Connecticut where she graduated with the class of 1952. After high school she returned to Sheridan where she attended Sheridan College. She was married on April 15, 1953 in Green River to Robert M. Gibbs and they made their home on the Greenough Ranch in Recluse, Wyoming. In 1955 they moved to Arvada where they purchased the TY Ranch on Powder River. They lived, ranched and raised their family on the ranch and moved permanently into Buffalo in 1990. Mr. Gibbs passed away in January of 1995 and Martha continued living in Buffalo until her death.
Martha was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. She was an accomplished artist and belonged to the Wyoming Artist’s Association, the Wyoming Watercolor Society, and the Johnson County Arts and Humanities Council. She was a hospice volunteer and also belonged to the Johnson County Cattlewomen’s Association. She was a dedicated rancher’s wife and loved the ranch and her family and friends. She loved nature and the creativity it inspired.
She is survived by three sons, John and Scott Gibbs both of Buffalo and Jim Gibbs and his wife Jan of Arvada; two sisters, Alida “Robin” Leist and her husband Jim of Del Norte, Colorado and Anne Walker of Boston, Mass; two step-brothers Dean Sage of Florida and David Sage and his wife Marica of Story, Wyoming; one step-sister Julie Sage-Day of New Jersey; four grandchildren, Tyler Gibbs and his wife Lauren, K.J. White and her husband Dario, Megan Gibbs, and Marshall Gibbs and one great-grandson Daejaun White. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one daughter, Susan Gibbs, one grandson Zac Gibbs, one brother Stewart Walker and one step-brother Sheldon Sage.