Former University of Iowa administrator Richard Gibson, 82, died Monday at Brown Deer Place in Coralville after a battle with Alzheimer’s, according to an obituary from Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service.
Gibson retired from his position of associate vice president and director of the Facilities Services in June 2000 after a 40-year career at the UI. Prior to holding this position, Gibson worked as the assistant registrar, director of space assignment and utilization, director of facilities planning and utilization, and director of planning and administrative service.
During his time at the UI, Gibson provided leadership in construction of many buildings on campus including Carver-Hawkeye Arena and the Medical Education & Research Building which was under construction during the time of his retirement.
“Dick helped build more than buildings here. He worked tirelessly to improve the quality of the services we provide every day,” said then-Vice President for Finance Douglas True in a press release announcing Gibson’s retirement.
He was honored with the dedication of Gibson Square Park, a green space located on the south lawn of the Main Library in July 2002. The site features trees, sidewalks, plantings, benches, and lighting that were installed alongside a 1995 project to improve the landscape surrounding the library.
A memorial reception will be held from 5-7 p.m., Monday, April 23, at the Levitt Center for University Advancement.
— Emily Wangen
Official obituary:
Richard E. Gibson, “Dick,” who was raised on a 40-acre, Depression-era farm in Corning, Iowa, followed his thirst for knowledge in shaping a life that led to professional partnerships with world-renowned architects and engineers. He served his community in ways large and small, and traveled the world with Jane, his partner and wife of 60 years. In many respects, Dick was a self-made man, endlessly curious and passionately interested in the world around him. Dick died April 16, 2018 at Brown Deer Place in Coralville, IA.
Dick was the oldest child of William Earl and Mary Oneida (nee Symonds) Gibson. He graduated from Corning High School before earning his Bachelors of Science in Commerce (1957) at the University of Iowa, where he also lettered in fencing. While in college, Dick joined ROTC and then served at Ft. Ord, CA, retiring from the Army Reserves with the rank of Captain.
Dick began his 40-year career at the University of Iowa in 1960 in Student Services, retiring in 2000 as the Associate Vice President and Director of Facility Services Group. Over the last three decades of his career, Dick was involved in much of the campus planning and construction and was a strong voice in maintaining the UI’s emphasis on public art and green space. In addition to his service to the University, Dick also served on several civic groups over the years, including the Iowa City Planning and Zoning Committee, the Iowa City Jail Task Force and the small but powerful think tank known as Pro/Con. Dick was a proud Rotarian and regular attendee of the Iowa City Noon Rotary Club where he served in leadership positions, participated in several overseas missions, and was a Paul Harris Fellow.
After retirement, and in line with his love of art and commitment to the community, Dick served as a docent for the UI Museum of Art, provided consultancy to the Coralville Children’s Museum, and was president of the UI Retirees Association. In 2001, Dick was greatly honored by the UI with the naming of the green space in front of the main library as “Gibson Square.”
Outside of work, Dick and Jane found time to indulge in their shared love of travel, art, architecture and live music. Dick had many hobbies throughout his lifetime, including sailing, building model planes and boats, chess, handball, dancing, winemaking, intergenerational volleyball, pruning, house-boating, classic exotic cars, and his pets, but none surpassed spending time with his close circle of friends, his children, and his grandchildren.
Survivors include: his wife, Jane Blessing, whom he met while a sophomore at the UI; four children (all UI graduates): Kevin (Monique) of Portland, OR, Kelly (Matt) of Cross Plains, WI, Elizabeth (Kevin) of Mt. Vernon, IA, and Rick of Minneapolis, MN; two beloved grandchildren, Hannah and Grayson Snyder, both 4th generation students at UI; two sisters, Shirley (Bob) Ross and Marianne Gibson, and several nieces and nephews. Dick was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Bill.
Memorial gifts can be made in Dick’s name to the University of Iowa Museum of Art fund and to Iowa City Hospice.
A memorial reception will be held in Dick’s honor from 5-7 p.m., Monday, April 23, at the Levitt Center for University Advancement.