Mary Jane Ring Gibbs

Gibbs Mary Jane Ring Gibbs, born in Minneapolis, on Nov. 25, 1919, died at her home in Davis, CA on May 31, 2002 after a brief illness with hepatitis. Mary Jane was the daughter of the late Roy R. Ring and his wife the late Lillian Brownlow. Mary Jane's father was a prominent newspaperman in the Twin Cities in the 1920's and 1930's. At the time of his death, he was the executive secretary of the Northwest Daily Press Association. Mary Jane attended Washburn High School in Minneapolis; and was a graduate of the University of Minnesota. She was very active in the Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority there, maintaining contact with many of her sorority sisters to the end of her life. During WWII, Mary Jane worked as an Air Traffic Controller and served in the Red Cross. After the war, she took a job as a Dietitian at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In 1948, she married Charles Gibbs. They moved from Ann Arbor to Placerville, CA in 1949 when Charles took a job with the Bank of America. In 1970 they moved to Davis. Mary Jane retired in 1990 from her job as an Admissions Officer at University of California Davis. During retirement she volunteered her time at the Davis hospital, Davis library and taught English as a second language. She was active in the American Association of University Women and the League of Women Voters. She loved to travel, and was among the first group of tourists to visit communist China when it ended its long isolation in the 1970's. She is greatly missed by her daughters, Sally Gibbs of Davis, CA and Nancy Gibbs of Novato, CA; as well as 2 grandsons of Novato, CA. Interment will be in Lakewood Cemetery. Donations in her memory may be made to the ASPCA, 424 E. 92nd St., New York, NY 10128.

Published on June 12, 2002