Lois Ann Gilbert

Lois Ann Gilbert, 76, of Fall Branch, passed away on Wednesday, September 11th, 2024, at Holston Valley Medical Center.
Born in Beaver Dam, WI, on March 19, 1948, Lois was the daughter of the late Ray and Virgelia (Beckman) Pamperin. She was the oldest of eight children raised on a working farm in rural Wisconsin. She always talked about being chased by the chickens while fetching their eggs. After high school graduation, Lois moved to Madison, WI, where she married and started a family. Five children were born between 1970-1975. Lois worked tirelessly to take care of her wild crew. She was a homemaker for 20 years, running the household, as they moved from Madison, to Richardson, TX, and finally to Blountville, TN.
At 40, Lois enrolled at East Tennessee State University, majoring in psychology. After completing her Masters in Guidance Counseling, Lois worked for Northeast State Community College and Sullivan East High School as a guidance counselor. She loved helping the students and staff. Some of her joys were helping the students receive college scholarship offers and creating small groups that met during lunch. It was during these years, grandchildren started arriving. The love between her and her grandchildren was precious. She was an amazing Grandma/Nana!
After retiring, she enjoyed traveling, being with family, knitting hats, gloves, and potholders for family and friends, appreciating nature, especially birds and flowers, attending her grandchildren's events, cooking, and loving life. She was a member of Christ Fellowship, and took many classes to help her learn more about her relationship with the Lord. Lois loved music and especially loved singing praise and worship songs.
In 2009, she married her husband, Richard Corbin. They enjoyed a colorful life together, including a special trip to Hawaii for Richard's son's wedding. Lois was thankful to have him by her side, especially during these last few months.
Lois was avidly involved in the hobby of geocaching, which brought her a lot of joy and many new friends. Her geocaching name was RedRider99, in honor of her red Ural sidecar motorcycle that she bought for her 60th birthday. In the last several years, Lois helped www.FindaGrave.com by taking hundreds of pictures of gravestones and uploading them to their website.
She enjoyed traveling with her grandchildren and with her loyal friend Cathy Kenyon. They visited the big island of Hawaii. Her favorite part was walking on a caldera and feeling the heat through her shoes. Cathy was a steadfast friend and encourager, especially during the last few months of Lois' life.
Lois was always up for an adventure, often displaying more energy than her children! She didn't like to stay still, continuing to geocache, travel, and explore the world until she started having debilitating heart issues in early 2024. Her last trip was in February 2024 when she and grandson Matthew flew to Corvallis, OR, to visit her son Dan and family. We are grateful that she was able to take that trip!
We will miss having her with us, but we know that she is in the presence of Jesus and able to be with her daughter Kristy again. Lois was a faithful Christian who lived a life of prayer and faith. Lois believed that those who put their faith in Jesus as Lord of their lives will have God's peace during life and a new home in heaven with Him afterward.
"For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." 2 Cor. 5:1
"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14
She is proceeded in death by her parents, husband Michel Gilbert, daughter Kristy Whitinger, sister Yvonne Fischer, and nephew Kyle Schwandt.
Lois is survived by her husband, Richard Corbin; daughter Susie Whitinger; sons Dan (Lisa) Whitinger, Dave (Trish) Whitinger, Andy (Jamie) Whitinger; grandchildren, Jack and Matthew Vaughan, Eli and Naiya Whitinger, Katie, Jon, Abigail, Simon, Heidi, Lydia, Jacob and Ben Whitinger, Drew, Jay, Dottie and Jessie Whitinger; sisters, Linda (Dave) Schaalma, Jane (Jim) Anderson, Eileen (Morry) Schwandt, Pauline (Fred) Witter, and brothers, Earl (Diane) Pamperin, Ray Pamperin, five step-children, in-laws, nieces and nephews, as well as many loving friends, and her crazy cat Bitsy.
A Celebration of Lois' life will be held on Monday, September 16th at First Baptist Church, Blountville, TN with Rev. Clay Austin officiating. The service will begin Monday at 7pm with visitation from 5-7pm. The burial will take place on Tuesday at 11am at Gunnings Cemetery in Blountville.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Kristy Whitinger Art Scholarship with the Carson-Newman University Foundation, P.O. Box 557, Jefferson City, TN 37760.
Carter-Trent Funeral Home Kingsport is serving her family.