Cynthia Gibson

Cynthia Jean (Montanye) Gibson, 68, passed away at the Haven Hospice Tri-County Care Center in Chiefland, Florida on February 6, 2024 with her family by her side, after a five-year battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Cynthia was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on November 21, 1955 to Deyo and Carol (Jelliff) Montanye. Although the family returned to Houghton, New York while she was still a toddler, Cindy’s love of other languages and cultures persisted throughout her life, and she consequently accumulated a large circle of multinational friends over the years. Cindy’s linguistic repertoire consisted of Portuguese, learned in grade school when her family hosted two siblings from Brazil; Spanish, perfected during a college semester spent in Honduras; Chinese, acquired during a summer spent in Taiwan before she was married; and Hebrew, whose study she took up several years before her death. She was also an avid reader and researcher, and loved snorkeling, waterfalls, and learning about edible wild plants. After graduating from Goshen College, Indiana in 1977, Cynthia’s career as an English as a Second Language and Special Education teacher began in Mission, Texas, continued in South Bend, Indiana, and culminated in Rochester, New York. After 25 years devoted to teaching, Cynthia left the profession to become a fulltime mother, a decision she never regretted. Cynthia married Loren Gibson in 1986, and they were blessed with three children: a son, Jeffrey, an aerospace engineer of Belhaven, North Carolina, and two daughters, Alanna, a registered nurse in Alachua, Florida, and Audrey, a school librarian in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 2004, the family relocated from Groveland, New York to the South Florida region where Loren would continue his career in land surveying and later retire as a college instructor. Meanwhile, Cindy spent her time at home perfecting her skills as a gourmet international cook and thrifty homemaker, homeschooling her youngest daughter along the way. After the marriages of both daughters and the births of her three grandchildren, Cynthia added doting grandmother to her roles of devoted wife and proud mother, and never gave up campaigning vociferously for more grandchildren. Cynthia is survived by her husband, Loren; her children, Jeffrey Gibson, Alanna Gibson, and Audrey (Matthew) Holley; three grandchildren; her brothers, Dale Montayne of Austin, Texas and Nathan Montanye (Brenda Clements) of Caneadea, New York; her sister, Anita (Casey) Baird Jones of Belmont, New York; her sisters-in-laws, Karen Gibson (Ted Strang) of Rush, New York and Wendy Gibson of Triangle, Virginia; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Graveside services were held at Chiefland Cemetery and a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Cynthia’s family requests that sympathies be expressed in the form of contributions to any of the following organizations in Cindy’s name: • Haven Hospice, Chiefland, FL: www.beyourhaven.org/donate • Team Gleason: www.teamgleason.org/donate • HealthWell Foundation: www.healthwellfoundation.org/donate • Florida Chapter of the ALS Association: www.als.org/florida/donate • Chabad Jewish Center, Coral Springs: www.mychabadcenter.org Arrangements have been placed under the care of the Rick Gooding Funeral Home Chiefland Chapel, with locations in Cross City 352-498-5400 and Chiefland 352-493-0050. Please sign the online guest book at the rickgoodingfuneralhomes.com

Cynthia Gibson

November 21, 1955 - February 6, 2024