Frank Gibson

Frank Leslie Gibson, M.D., 88, of Bainbridge, GA, passed away peacefully Thursday, August 12, 2010 at John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville, GA. The funeral service will be at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, August 14, 2010 at First Presbyterian Church in Bainbridge with Dr. Gerald Little officiating. The family will receive friends Friday, August 13, 2010 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Ivey Funeral Home. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com . Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 7067, Bainbridge, GA 39818. Frank was born July 17, 1922 in Thomasville, GA, the son of Frank Leslie Gibson and Willie Mae Martin Gibson. He graduated from Thomasville High School in 1938 and served as President of the Senior Class. He attended Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, GA for one year before continuing his education at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He received three degrees from Emory, including a Bachelor's Degree in 1942, Doctor of Medicine in 1944 and a Medical Residency Degree in 1950. While at Emory, he was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Alpha Omega Alpha, the highest medical society, and Phi Beta Kappa scholastic society. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1945 and served as the ship's physician aboard the USS Yavapai in the China Sea. He was active duty for seven years and in the Navy Reserves for 45 years, retiring as a Commander. On March 24, 1946, Frank married Annie Elizabeth Teaver of LaGrange, GA. The couple met in Atlanta where he was completing his surgical residency at Henry Grady Memorial Hospital, and she was a nurse at the Piedmont Hospital. They lived in Norfolk, VA, Savannah, GA and Atlanta, GA before moving to Bainbridge in 1952. During the Korean War, he was recalled by the Navy for duty at Camp Lejeune, NC. In Bainbridge, he practiced medicine at two private hospitals, Riverside Hospital and Bainbridge Hospital. In 1959 and 1960, he served as the Medical Consultant for the construction of Memorial Hospital of Bainbridge, which recently celebrated 50 years of serving the healthcare needs of Decatur County and the surrounding areas. For 25 years between 1962 and 1987, he dedicated his service as the Medical Consultant for the Georgia Division of Rehabilitation Services. He also served many years as the surgeon for the Seaboard Coastline Railroad. After retiring from private practice, he joined the medical staff at Bainbridge State Hospital where he enjoyed working for an additional 10 years. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Bainbridge for more than 50 years and was honored to be an Elder Emeritus. He was recently inducted into the Corpus Cordis Aureum, Emory Alumni Association's distinguished group of alumni from 50 years ago or earlier. Frank enjoyed reading, fishing, hunting, traveling and riding his tractor. He was a devoted and loving husband and father; a competent and compassionate surgeon; a continuous learner and adventurous vacationer; and a generous friend and member of the community. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Kathrine Gibson McDonald and Mary Lois Gibson and a brother, Ernest Leslie Gibson. Grateful for sharing his life are his wife of 64 years, Elizabeth Gibson of Bainbridge, GA; three children, Kathrine (Thomas) Schnabel of Sioux Falls, SD, Elizabeth (Charles) Murphy of Bainbridge, GA and Frank L. Gibson, Jr. of Panama City, FL; and two grandsons, David Murphy of Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan and Paul Murphy of Shreveport, LA.