Berta Gibson

CLEVELAND — Berta Ruth Hughes Gibson, 96, passed away Thursday, April 11, 2019, at a local health care facility. Berta was a lifelong resident of Bradley County. She was an active member of First Baptist Cleveland since 1934, and served in many areas including choir, WMU and teaching children and young people. She loved her family dearly as well as extended family. She was happy to be a homemaker and participated in all her children’s school activities. Berta enjoyed being a “housewife” golfer. She helped start the Ladies Golf Association at Waterville, Rolling Hills and Flagstone golf courses. She was a member of Bradley County Old Timers Hall of Fame, Cleveland City Golf Champion, and she won the Tennessee Women’s Senior Amateur Golf Championship. She also had a special hobby of making Christmas stockings for all members of her family. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, James Edward Gibson; parents, J. S. and Jennie Million Hughes; sisters, Marie Parker and Margie Brock; brother, Wilburn L. Hughes, and great-granddaughter, Hadley Jane Erwin. Survivors include her sons, Gary Gibson and wife Martha of Columbia, Steve Gibson and wife Katherine, and Jim Gibson and wife Mary Beth of Cleveland, Tenn.; 14 grandchildren, and 32 great-grandchildren. A celebration of her life will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, 2019, in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Rev. Jim Gibson and Rev. Stan Gibson officiating. Interment will follow at Fort Hill Cemetery with Shane Gibson, Stan Gibson, Josh Gibson, John Gibson, Jonathan Gibson, Jake Gibson, Jackson Gibson, Jay Gibson and Clay Smith serving as pallbearers. A white dove release ceremony and the playing of bagpipes will conclude the service. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Generations Legacy fund at First Baptist Cleveland, P. O. Box 2368, Cleveland, Tennessee 37320 in honor of Berta’s memory. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Gibson family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com