Celecta (Hall) Gibson

Celecta Gibson, 85, a resident of Nampa and formerly of Wendell, passed away on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at Arbor Valley Assisted Living in Boise.

Born the 7th child to Ira Kimball and Alice Abigail (Ottley) Hall, September 2, 1938, in Gooding, Idaho, Celecta was an active little girl who loved to run barefoot and swing all summer long. Growing up on farms in and around the Gooding and Wendell area, Celecta learned from an early age to work hard and serve others. Her greatest aspiration was to be a devoted wife and mother to which she successfully dedicated herself to, up until the very end of her life. 

Celecta, always concerned about her family would frequently promote unifying  activities, usually centered around a family meal to keep everyone together. 

Celecta’s greatest love was for her high school sweetheart, Robert (Bob) Gibson. Bob would talk about their first meeting saying, “I asked one of my friends who that girl was in study hall?” “They said that’s Celecta Hall.” Bob’s response was, “I know the Halls and there’s no one named Celecta.” Bob and his father Melvin Gibson had provided custom farm work during the summer prior to school for Ira Hall. Celecta (Mom) was at the Hall family sawmill on Cannonball Creek cooking for the men that summer, so she was not around when Bob (Dad,) worked for the Halls that summer. They began dating shortly after their study hall encounter and from that time on you would not see one without seeing the other.

Bob stated many times that, “your mother was not an easy catch. I had to work hard for her. You had to come up to her standards which she would not compromise for anyone or anything.” This was a quality attributed to her good upbringing by her parents Alice and Ira Hall and as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

A year after high school graduation, Celecta and Bob were married and sealed for time and eternity on August 29, 1958, in the Idaho Falls Temple. A hallmark of their relationship. They celebrated 50 anniversaries together before Bob’s unexpected death in November 2008. 

Celecta and Bob lived in California and Utah for a short period of time while adding four Gibson boys to their family, Robert, Ernest, Russell, and Brian before moving back to Wendell, Idaho, in the spring of 1965. They purchased the old Barton home South of Wendell and just a few miles west of the Gibson family farm. It was there that Celecta and Bob added 2 more Gibson boys to their family, John and Michael. Celecta raised, to the best of her abilities, six rowdy Gibson boys with love, devotion, and extra layers of patience. She continued to work alongside Bob on the Gibson family farm while driving tractors and trucks with babies in tote.

Up until her passing, Celecta enjoyed quoting Heber J. Grant’s enlightened statement often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson: “That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do — not that the nature of the thing is changed, but that our power to do is increased.”

Celecta was a firm believer of this and was a silent servant to her family, friends, and neighbors. She spent her life in the service of others without thought of reward or recognition. 

Celecta was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving faithfully in many callings and capacities from children and youth to ladies in the Relief Society. Mom would say, “When the Lord asks you to serve you don’t say no.” 

A couple of years after Bob Gibson’s passing Celecta relocated to Nampa to be closer to three of her sons and grandchildren. She lived with son John & Judy Gibson for the last 12 years prior to her move to an assisted living care center in June of 2023. 

Celecta’s kindness, devotion, and dedication will live long beyond her influencing generations of six sons and daughters-in-law, 25 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren.

Celecta was proceeded in death by: Husband, Bob Gibson, granddaughter Claire Gibson, parents, Ira and Alice Hall, Siblings, Rula Ringel, Velma Vaden, Helen Hall, Miles Hall, Julia Dixon, Lewis Hall, and parent-in-laws Melvin and Verla Gibson.

Celecta is survived by her sons, Robert Gibson (Beth), Salt Lake City UT., Ernest “Montana” Gibson (Trudy), Simi Valley CA., Russell Gibson (Debby), Eagle ID., Brian Gibson (Robin), Antelope CA., John Gibson (Judy), Nampa ID., and Mike Gibson (Breanna), Nampa ID.  Siblings; Kimball Hall, John Hall, Sarah Farnworth and scores of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

We want to express our gratitude to the hospice staff at Arbor Valley Assisted Living in Boise for the excellent care keeping mom comfortable the last six months. 

At Celecta Gibson’s request, a small simple graveside service will be held on December 14, 2023 at the Wendell Cemetery at 1pm.

In leu of flowers the family has asked that donations be made to #LightTheWorld #GivingMachines at

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/light-the-world/giving-machines

Funeral arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service - Gooding Chapel.

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