Mary Jo Chambers Gibbs

Mary Jo Chambers Gibbs, 90 years old passed away on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.

A Graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 26, 2023 in Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Memorial Park Funeral Home Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.

She was born January 21, 1933 to her parents William Hosch Chambers and Minnie Bell Fowler Chambers.

Mary Jo was a graduate of Gainesville High School class of 1950 and she attended Wesleyan Methodist College.

At the age of 12, she joined Central Baptist Church.

Mary Jo was a former employee of Southland Publishing Company where she worked for over 47 years as an administrative assistant to the accounting department. On her first day at work, August 1, 1951, she met her future husband, Alvin Gibbs, who was also an employee of Southland Publishing Company for over 34 years. He started working at the newspaper on December 1, 1950 not long after he completed his tour of duty in the military at the end of World War II.

Alvin and Mary Jo married on Valentine’s Day 1953 on a snowy night in Georgia. As they entered the church, a light rain was falling in which soon turned into a beautiful blanket of snow covering the ground as they exchanged their wedding vows. On Monday morning, Sylvan Meyer who was editor of the newspaper announced in a loud voice that he wanted a snow picture for tomorrow’s front page. Ed Beasley, a freelance photographer was standing nearby and overheard his request replied that he had the perfect one.

As a result, the wedding picture he had made of the newlyweds standing on the sidewalk atop the freshly fallen snow appeared on Tuesday’s front page.

Alvin and Mary Jo had been married for over 60 years when he passed away on November 18, 2013.

In addition to her parents, Mary Jo, the oldest of four children born to her parents, is preceded in death by two younger brothers, William Thomas (Billy) Chambers and Jerry Bob Chambers as well as their youngest child, her sister, Beverly Ann Chambers Jarmon. In addition, she is also preceded in death by a great-nephew, Christopher Michael Chambers who was the son of Jerry Bob Chambers.

She is survived by two nephews, David Michael Chambers and his wife Mary Kane Chambers of Atlanta and Jeffrey Thomas Chambers of Bradenton, FL.

Mary Jo is also survived by three great nephews, Michael Kane Chambers and Robert Nathan Chambers of Atlanta and Kellen Chambers of Bradenton, FL and a sister in law, Rita Langford Helton and husband, William Helton of Clermont.

Memorial Park Funeral Home, 2030 Memorial Park Road, Gainesville, GA  30504 is in charge of arrangements.

Send online condolences to www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com