MARY Elizabeth Gibney

GIBNEY, Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Watson, 88, died on May 28, 2010 from complications arising from dementia. Her parents were Norman C. Watson and Helen M. Watson. She was raised on a farm near Coatesville, Pa. After graduating from Scott High School in Coatesville, she went to Philadelphia, Pa. to study to be an executive secretary. She held several jobs in Philadelphia at banks and at Girard College. She soon moved back to Coatesville, where she married John A. Gibney. In 1988, she moved to Richmond, Va. to be near her grandchildren. She devoted her life to her family. She was always there when they needed love and care. She made friends wherever she went, and cherished their affection. Betty was a steadfast Episcopalian, which indirectly led to her only brush with the law. At the age of 80, she drove to church on Easter, only to realize she had forgotten her hearing aid and offering envelope. She sped home to get them before the service started, but was ticketed for reckless driving. She went to driving school, and the charge was dismissed. Unfortunately, she missed the entire service, and she never raced again. She was known for her loving kindness. Near the end of her life, dementia had robbed her of most of her mental faculties. To the last, however, she often said "Hello," "Yoo-hoo," and "I love you." She was preceded in death by her husband, John A. Gibney Sr. They were married 40 years. She is survived by her son, John A. Gibney Jr. of Richmond; her grandson, John A. Gibney III of Philadelphia; and her granddaughter, Sarah Marie Gibney, a Peace Corps volunteer in Otjiwarongo, Namibia. Her family thanks the staff at Lucy Corr Village, which provided a safe and loving place for Betty to live. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 4, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 43rd Street and Forest Hill Avenue, Richmond, Va. A funeral will be held later in Coatesville, Pa. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Richmond, 4600 Cox Road, Suite 130, Glen Allen, Va. 23060, or to the Alzheimer's Association National Office, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, Illinois 60601.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.