William Edward Gibson

William E. (Bill) Gibson of Findlay, age 92, died under hospice care at the Bridge Hospice Center at Blanchard Valley Hospital on September 25, 2021. He is survived by his four children, Cindy Benton and Marcia Alexander of Findlay, Brian of Tampa, Fla. and Wade (Mary) of Memphis, Tenn. He is also survived by six grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Bill was preceded in death by his wife Maggie of 67 years on November 1, 2016.Bill was born in Terre Haute, Indiana on August 5, 1929. At 18 and as a senior in high school, he met his future wife, Margaret Francis Heath, also of Terre Haute, while taking the same chemistry class at Wiley High School. Because they were seated in the class alphabetically by last name, Bill and Maggie sat near each other with a mutual friend, Barb Gray, between them. Bill used to tease Maggie that if their last names started with A and Z, they never would have met. In February 1947 before graduating high school, Bill also joined the U.S. Navy Reserves.Bill and Maggie were both students at Indiana State Teachers College (now Indiana State University) when they married and started their family. He graduated from Indiana State Teachers College as a young husband and father in 1951 with a Bachelor's in Business Education.After early jobs with the Pennsylvania Railroad, Firestone and Southern & Western Life Insurance, Bill accepted an offer to join the Ohio Oil Co., precursor to Marathon Oil Co. He, his wife and two young daughters moved from Terre Haute to Findlay in 1955. He was honorably discharged from the Navy Reserves that summer as well.The rest of Bill's career took place at Marathon in their Findlay offices, where he worked in the Data Processing, Accounting and Tax departments, mostly in accounting roles. He retired early, in February 1986, at 56 years, after 30-plus years with the company.In addition to his family and scouting, Bill loved travel, camping, hiking and dining. He loved his time spent on Indian Lake after retirement before moving back to Findlay in 1998, and he was an avid card player. He played a wicked game of Euchre.His family wants to thank the wonderful people and caregivers at The Heritage, Blanchard Valley Hospital and Bridge Hospice. A memorial is planned for a later date, but messages of condolence can be left on the Kirkpatrick-Behnke Funeral Home website at www.kirkpatrickbehnke.com. Gifts to the Alzheimer's Association in honor of Bill's daughter-in-law Valerie Gibson or in Bill's honor to the American Cancer Society or American Heart Association are greatly appreciated.

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