Honey Gibson Metowski

Honey Gibson Metowski age 89, passed away at home in Redding, Connecticut, September 3, 2010. A 48 year resident of Marysville, Honey lived the past 3 years with her daughter and daughter's family in CT. Born at home March 5, 1921 in Childress, Texas, to Claude Osmond Gibson and Lois Amandy (Penick) Gibson, Honey was the second child of six. She attended a rural, one room country school in her early grades and suffered the Great Depression. She graduated high school in 1939 from Clovis, New Mexico. During World War II, she packed parachutes at Clovis AFB. She then worked as an insurance adjuster for the Fireman's Fund Insurance Group in Albuquerque, NM and was relocated to San Francisco, CA, then to Denver, Colorado. After marrying an Air Force mechanic, she lived with her husband and young daughter in the Alaska Territory and they were there when it was made a state in January 1959. In August of that year, they transferred to Beale AFB, CA. Honey received many Letters of Commendation, Outstanding Performance and Superior Performance Awards for her work as secretary to the Chief of Supply, 100th Supply Squadron, at Beale AFB. After retirement from 26 years of civil service to the Department of the Air Force, sewing, crafting, playing bridge and traveling were her favored activities. She was fond of telling people that she had been in all fifty states. Honey was a skilled seamstress commencing her sewing career at age 6. Tailored women's suits, dresses, and costumes were her specialty. Her sewing and crafts won many blue ribbons and Best of Show at county and agricultural fairs in Connecticut, New York, and California. Doll clothes she made were exhibited at the Stamford Historical Society in Connecticut. Honey joined the Valley Quilt Guild where on Community Service Sew Days, she spent hours sewing over fifty quilts for children in Foster Care. She was also an avid craftswoman and made many beautiful things including numerous Christmas decorations. An Episcopalian, Honey served on alter guilds in Clovis, New Mexico; Anchorage, Alaska; and Marysville, CA. At St. John's Episcopal Church, Marysville, she hand embroidered intricate alter linens and clergy vestments and was a Eucharistic Minister for the home-bound. Quick to say "Can I help?", she volunteered for Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Red Cross, Volunteer Tax Assistance Program, Hospice (the bereavement group) and Pink Ladies (at the hospital and their thrift store). Honey was Worthy High Priestess of Faith Shrine of the White Shrine of Jerusalem. Other Memberships included Order of the Eastern Star and the Order of the Amaranth. She co-founded the local chapter of Widows and Widowers and was an original member of the local women's social group Daughters of Leisure (DOLS). She loved going to Seniors for lunch in her later years. Honey was preceded in death by her husband Bronislaw "Pat" Metowski; son Ronald Patrick Metowski; three sisters, Eula Mae Porter, Rose Amandy Hargrow Beck, Patricia Yvonne Land; and brother, Claude Hobert Gibson. Honey is survived by her daughter Roanna Metowski and son-in- law, Victor DeMasi, both of Redding, Connecticut; grandchildren: Mercedes Amanda DeMasi, Orianna Amy DeMasi, Kara Mary Metowski, Brock Patrick Metowski, Michael John Metowski, and Luke Ronald Metowski; sister Judy Kathleen Williams of Ottawa, Kansas, 5 nieces, and 4 nephews. Funeral arrangements were made by Lipp and Sullivan. Service will be officiated by The Reverend Dori Torrey of St. John's Episcopal Church, Marysville, at 1 PM, Tuesday, September 14th. Graveside service follows. Memorials may be sent to St. John's or the American Cancer Society. Burial will be next to her husband in Sierra View Memorial Park, Olivehurst, CA. Send Condolences www.appealdemocrat.com