James Lowell Gibson's Obituary
James Lowell Gibson
1924 -2008
James Lowell Gibson, age 84, of Tacoma passed away on Friday, October 31, 2008. Born in Purcell, Missouri, on August 22, 1924 to Olive and James Gibson, Lowell moved to Longview, Washington as a boy. He graduated from R.A. Long High School in 1942, but during his senior year and after, spent six years of his life hospitalized with tuberculosis. During this time, he took college courses and went on to graduate from radio communication school.
In 1948, Lowell moved to Ketchikan, Alaska to work for the Alaska Broadcasting Company. June Newman joined him from Seattle, and they were married on June 11, 1948 in Ketchikan. Their son, James Patrick, was born in Juneau, Alaska in 1949.
Lowell and his family moved back to Longview, Washington in 1949, where he continued to work in the broadcasting industry, and where their second child, Carole Ann, was born. In 1956, the family moved to Tacoma, Washington, where their third child Judy Janine was born.
Lowell worked as a broadcaster at KTNT until his retirement in 1990. During his productive career as a broadcaster, Lowell enjoyed and appreciated all aspects of his business. An energetic and committed worker and a civically involved citizen, Lowell returned from retirement to work for the World Trade Center office in Tacoma. Lowell continued to volunteer throughout his retirement in a variety of community organizations, including the Northwest Sinfonietta, Tacoma Public Schools, and the City of Tacoma. Both ardent travelers and with passion for meeting others, Lowell and June traveled extensively together throughout their retirement.
Throughout his life, Lowell remained committed to family and spent countless hours with his wife, three children, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Always wise, considerate, kind and thoughtful, Lowell is missed by his surviving family members including siblings Mabel and Jason. He is survived by June, his wife of 60 wonderful years, his children Jim and wife Lurinda, Carole and husband Tom, and Judy and husband Chris. He is also survived granddaughter Jessica and partner Clayton, grandson Jared, grandson Grady and his wife Breanne and four children, and grandson Chad and fiancé Angie.
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