Diane Gibbs

Diane Pearl Stowe Gibbs, age 89, of Bountiful Utah, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away peacefully September 30, 2023. She was surrounded by loving family members after a hard-fought battle of declining health, including cancer. Her graceful ending complimented a lifetime of unending charity and Christlike service to everyone she met.

Diane was born July 14, 1934, in Ogden, Utah to William Hessel and Mildred Madsen Stowe. She was the first of five children, two brothers David Stowe (Flo) and Neal Stowe (Peggy), who preceded her in death and two sisters Nancy Kader (Omar) of Fairfax, Virginia, and Connie Wall (Richard, deceased) of Ogden, Utah.

Her childhood was filled with sledding hills, rodeos, peonies, and Farr Ice Cream. She graduated in 1952 from Ogden High School. She was one of five girls who received a scholarship to go to nursing school at Thomas Dee School of Nursing. She was a labor and delivery nurse for 40 years in Bountiful and taught prenatal classes for many years. She aided in the delivery of all her grandchildren and many, many others. There were several newborns named after Diane due to her loving care.

In Ogden, Diane met the love of her life when Calvin Gibbs moved in across the street. They were assigned to decorate a church dance in 1951, and he noticed the girl in the yellow pedal pushers and the green sweater, and he knew she was the one for him. Cal was drafted in the army and was shipped off to Fort Ord, where she went to visit him. While there, he proposed, and they were married December 18, 1953, in the Logan Temple. They would have celebrated their 70^th wedding anniversary this December.

She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving many times as a Relief Society President, Young Women’s President, Primary President, and working with the youth in Young Adult Wards. She served as a temple worker and host at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. She and Cal served a Church Education Mission to Baltimore, Maryland from 1998 to 1999, where they made many lifelong friends. Her spiritual life displayed every Christlike gift, and she blessed everyone she met. She was loved and admired by all those she served.

Her heart was full of love and concern for every person. She opened her home to everyone, including Nancy Campbell Orgill who lived with them as part of the family until she married. It was not unusual to find other people living in our home. She took in and cared for countless others.

She was an avid reader and loved to learn. She would read books, magazines, and newspapers every day. She often shared articles, quotes, and ideas from the things she read.   

She was very practical except when it came to Christmas, when she loved to spend and spend. It was never on her, but always for others, including a matching set of pajamas for every member of the family. She loved holidays and being with her family. She loved her family fiercely. Her light and love strengthened us all.

Her life was dedicated to others, in small and big ways, never wanting to be the center of attention. Even after she got cancer, she couldn’t be found at home because she was out taking care of others. She worked at creating ways to serve, lift and teach those that needed care. She never stopped doing, working tirelessly to enrich the lives of family, friends, and strangers in her home, church, and community. She lifted the hands that hung down. She will be missed in ways that  one can never comprehend.  

Diane is survived by her husband Calvin, children Laurie Markisich (Erney), Tracy Haire (John), Brad Gibbs (Wendy), Michael Gibbs (Stacey), and Lisa Avei (Taisi), 20 grandchildren, 15 grandchildren-in-laws, and 28 great grandchildren with two more on the way.

Visitation will be held Sunday, October 8, 2023, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary, 727 N. 400 E., Bountiful, Utah. Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 9, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the North Canyon Stake Center, 965 East Oakwood Drive, Bountiful, Utah, with visitation at the Stake Center from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.  prior to the services.  Interment will be at Memorial Lakeview Cemetery, Bountiful.

Services will be lived-streamed and may be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of Diane’s obituary page at www.lindquistmortuary.com

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