Red River County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....Gibson, Richard "Dick" C. Parks 2005

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Ann Allen Geoghegan http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00008.html#0001878 January 2, 2008, 1:26 pm

Alexandria Daily Town Talk 
November 29, 2005

COUSHATTA, LA - Richard C. Parks "Dick" Gibson passed away on Wednesday, 
October 26, 2005 in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was 87 years of age.

Services are sheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, October 29, 2005 at First Baptist 
Church, Coushatta, Louisiana. Interment will follow in the Springville 
Cemetery in Coushatta.

Mr. Gibson was a much-loved father, grandfather and great-grandfather who 
traveled the world visiting his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His 
passions were his family, his community, bring navigation to the Red River, 
airplanes and travel.

Mr. Gibson was born December 26, 1917 in El Dorado, Arkansas to James Daniel 
and Florene Parks Gibson. He spent five years during WWII studying 
aeronautical engineering and building, the B-25, B-27 and early models of the 
B-29 at General Motors Fisher Body Memphis Air Craft Production. A love for 
flying was with him the rest of his life.

He moved to Coushatta, Louisiana in 1950 and opened the local International 
Harvester dealership. As a dealer, he was active in the Deep South and 
National Farm and Power Equipment Dealer's Association and served as chairman 
of the Louisiana/Mississippi Legislative Committees. His respect for the 
farmers along the river led to a 40 year friendship with Mr. William 
McLelland, planter of East Point, Louisiana, who introduced him to the wrath 
of the "mighty red" during the floods of the 1950's.

Mr. Gibson was appointed to the State of Louisiana Public Works Board in 1973 
by Gov. Edwin Edwards. In 1978 he was appointed to the Red River Waterway 
Commission by Gov. Edwards and re appointed by Govs. Edwards, Treen and Roemer 
serving on the Commission until 2000. During his 20 plus years of service he 
made repeated trips to Washington D.C. and Baton Rouge to secure funding for 
navigation on the Red River and saw the realization of his dream with the 
construction of locks and dams, ports and recreation facilities along the 
river bringing jobs and economic development to the region along with 
recreational opportunities. He was a long-time member of the Red River Valley 
Association and the Louisiana Levee Board Association. Donation of his papers 
on Red River navigation to Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, 
Louisiana will help chronicle the history of the realignment and development 
of navigation and recreation of the Red River future generations.

He began farming in 1960 and along with others formed the Armstead Gin 
Company. He was a member and president of the Red River Parish Farm Bureau. He 
served on and chaired the Cotton Contact Committee at Louisiana State 
University, Baton Rouge. He was active in the Louisiana Farm Bureau, the 
Nation Cotton Council and Cotton, Inc.

He was a member of the Coushatta Lions Club and served as President when it 
functioned as the Chamber of Commerce. During 1965 and 1966, as a member of 
the Coushatta Economic Development Corporation, he helped secure a commitment 
from Sunbeam Corporation in Chicago, Illinois to build a plant in Coushatta 
and was instrumental in obtaining funding from Governor John McKeithen to 
build the Coushatta Airport meeting Sunbeam's one demand before the company 
agreed to move to Coushatta.

His love for his special needs grandson Wally Weaver drove his desire to 
improve education for all handicapped children. He served on the board of the 
Louisiana Lions Club Crippled Children Camp and on the deaf Blind Education 
Advisory Board for the Louisiana State Department in the late 1960's and 
1970's. His tireless efforts of behalf of handicapped children--and deaf blind 
children in particular--led to improved education and recreation opportunities 
for this special needs community.

In 1975 he turned his efforts to establishing the Red River Council on Aging 
serving as the founding President. Under his leadership, Mrs. Mary Wailes 
established a model council recognized as one of the premiere councils in the 
State of Louisiana.

Mr. Gibson was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Vera Rogers Gibson; 
his sister, Sallie Gibson Booth and her husband Dr. James Edward Booth of 
Farmerville, Louisiana; his brother-in-law, Aubry Rogers and niece Brenda 
Rogers Procell.

He is survived by Audrey Jo Weaver and her husband Col. Walter Weaver, Jr., 
Retired of Pineville; Paula Gibson of Shreveport and Coushatta and Rene Gibson 
of Shreveport. He leaves five grandchildren and one "adopted" granddaughter, 
Tammie may and her husband Lt. Col. Robert J. May of Ashland, Virginia; Lt. 
Col. Terrie Denise Ford, Retired, and her husband CMS Terry Ford, Retired, of 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Walter R. "Wally" Weaver, III of Pineville; Major 
Richard Weaver and wife Amy of Altus, Oklahoma; Sandee Miller and her husband 
Ted Miller of Wellington, Colorado; and Lt. Col. Patti Daye Woods and her 
husband CSM Riley Woods, Retired, of Pineville, Louisiana; nine great-
grandchildren, 2nd Lt. Robert J. May, Jr., Christin May, Stuart May, Glen 
Ford, AIC Brian Ford, R.J. Weaver, Kimberlyn Weaver, Wyatt Weaver and Stratton 
Miller; and numerous nieces and nephews who brought hi great joy.

His son-in-law, grandsons and great-grandsons will serve as pallbearers along 
with Mike Weaver and Buddy Weaver.

Honorary pallbearers include Charles Roemer, II and Danny Roemer of Scopena 
Plantation in Bossier City, former Governor Buddy Roemer of Baton Rouge, 
former congressman Joe D. Waggonner, Jr. of Bossier City, Dr. Robert C. 
Hernandez of Shreveport, Dr. Jere McBride of the LSU Experiment Station in 
Bossier Parish, H.M. "Mutt" Fowler, H.M. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr., Mary Wailes, 
Gena Duco and Bill Moore of Coushatta.

A special thanks to Dr. scheduled Robert C. Hernandez, his good friend and 
doctor, as well as Dr. Robert J. Long and the fine staff of Life Care Hospital 
in Pierremont and Doctor's Hospital Rehabilitation as well as others who 
treated him in recent years including Dr. Wyche Coleman, Dr. Greg Bell, the 
late Dr. Jackie Huckabay and Terry Eberhardt, Davis Stamps and the staff of 
Eberhardt Physical Therapy and Wellness Clinic. A special acknowledgement as 
well to the past and current Red River Waterway Commissioners and staff as 
well as members of Coushatta Lions Club with whom he served.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mr. Gibson may be made to the 
Louisiana Lions League for Crippled Children Foundation Endowment Fund, P.O. 
Box 171, Leesville, Louisiana, 71496.

Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Coushatta is in charge of arrangements.

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