Joan Gibbons Wilson

Milestones

March 28, 1930. Born in Summit, New Jersey, to H. Ralston Gibbons and Dorothy Binns Gibbons. A General Motors executive, Mr. Gibbons served as president of the board of education in Joan’s home town of Chatham, New Jersey, a leafy suburb. Mrs. Gibbons while serving as a World War I Army nurse in France cared for wounded German captives who engraved their thanks on spent artillery shells, which she kept and treasured.

June 1948. Graduated from Chatham High School where she played basketball and field hockey; played the saxophone; befriended all; voted most popular in her class. Displayed what was to be a life-long dedication to quietly helping others whenever and wherever she could.

June 1952. Graduated from Bucknell University where her helpfulness, leadership and scholarship won her selection to live in Honor House on campus.

September 1952. Began mathematics-teaching career at Boonton, New Jersey, High School.

March 26, 1955. Married George C. Wilson, fellow Bucknellian, then a reporter on the Newark (NJ) Evening News. Moved with him to Washington, DC, area where she taught mathematics at Swanson Junior High in Arlington, Alice Deale Junior High School in the District, Cooper Intermediate in Fairfax County. Suspended her teaching in 1959 to devote full time to rearing her two children, Kathryn and Jim. Returned to the classroom after they were in school.

1955-2005. Volunteered to tutor unwed mothers at the Florence Crittenden Home in Washington so they could earn their high school diploma; taught sewing to inner-city women in Ludlow High School; served early morning breakfast to the homeless in Miriam’s Kitchen at Western Presbyterian Church.

2003-2005. Suffered from often disabling back pain. Diagnosed in September 2005 as suffering from ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, as well as severe spinal stenosis.

December 17, 2005. Died from ALS at the Capital Hospice in Arlington, Virginia.