Helen Cecelia Rourke was born Dec.15, 1916 to Edmund Leo and Mary Estella Craig Rourke in Callaway, Nebraska. Helen married Kenneth E. “Hoot” Gibson on May 31, 1938, at St. Mary’s Church in Boise, Idaho. Kenneth E. “Hoot” Gibson passed away January 20,1987 in Meridian, Idaho. Helen passed away November 21, 2022 in Boise, Idaho.
Helen was preceded in death by daughter Jo Anne Gibson Evans, daughter-in-law Judith Rohrbach Gibson. She was preceded by both parents, three sisters, two brothers and their spouses.
Helen is survived by her children, Kenneth E. Gibson, Jr. (Pullman, WA.), Patrick L. Gibson and wife Georgiann (Eagle, ID.), Judith E. Raney and husband Leland (Canton, MI.), Ted A. Gibson and wife Jerry (Boise, ID.) and son-in-law Cecil R. Evans (Missoula, MT.). She is also survived by 14 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren.
How does one encapsulate 105 years 11 months and six days of life into a few paragraphs? A life that has seen the most tumultuous advances in human history. It is this tumult that helped create the person that Helen became.
She was a warm, caring, loving, sharing and empathetic person. She was strong enough to care for her 3 young children, Jo Anne, Ken, and Pat, while Hoot was away, having been drafted into the Army/Air Corps during WWII. Growing up during the depression she learned to manage a household with limited resources. Helen clearly understood the difference between “want” and “need”. She was frugal without being cheap. When she and Hoot were married, they only had one week’s rent paid and $5 cash.
Her deep devotion to the Catholic Church gave Helen a spirituality that allowed her the peacefulness and serenity to face whatever obstacles may arise.
She raised five unique, independent, and successful children, allowing each to choose and follow their own path.
Helen helped her community through volunteering as president of the Altar Society in Meridian, working as an election volunteer, and ultimately volunteering for more than a thousand hours over many years at St. Vincent DePaul in Meridian. These were never burdens but always done with quiet grace.
No matter how dispersed the family became, home was always where Mom was. She was and is the center of our universe. However, one decides to measure a successful life, Helen was truly successful. Those fortunate enough to know her often use a single word to describe her … sweet. A truly kind and loving person. Sweet Helen, sweet Mom will be forever loved and missed.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Sweet Dreams
Funeral services will be held at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 7960 W. Northview St., Boise, Idaho, Monday December 12, 2022. There will be a public rosary at 10:00 am-10:45 am, Funeral mass at 11:00 am-12:00 pm, family reception 12:00 pm-1:30 pm. Burial will be at Cloverdale Cemetery at 2:00 pm.
The family wishes to offer special thanks and appreciation to the staff at Morningstar Senior Living and to Keystone Hospice for the love and care they gave to Mom.