BG William H. Gibbes, Sr. USAR (Ret.)

BG William “Bill” Holman Gibbes, USAR (Ret.), died Saturday April 21, 2018 at home. Born on February 25, 1930 in Florence, SC, Bill was the youngest of four children born to Ernest Lawrence and Nancy Watson Gibbes. He grew up on the family tobacco and cotton farm near Hartsville, SC. In 1947, he graduated from Hartsville High School, where he was Senior Class President and was devoted to his school and classmates. Bill returned to class reunions every five years until 2017. In addition to school, he worked at the Coker Mercantile Co. On the weekends and summers, he worked at the tobacco market and the Darlington Raceway. Bill attended Coker College as a freshman while the University of South Carolina was swamped with World War II veterans returning home. He subsequently enrolled in the University of SC in 1948. He graduated with a BS in Business Economics followed by his enrollment in the USC School of Law. He graduated with an LLB in 1953. As a student, Bill was a member of ODK Debate Society, an officer of the Euphradian Literary Society, the YMCA, Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, student council and named "An Outstanding Senior" while working at the SC Senate as an intern. He loved to dance and arranged for national bands to play for dances at USC. He married his wife of 64 years, Virginia Frances Hagood, in May 1954. They have three children and two grandchildren. Bill and Frances have resided at the Still Hopes Retirement Community since 2015. Bill obtained a direct commission as a first lieutenant in the Judge Advocate Corp and entered the Army in 1954 and was sent to Charlottesville, VA. to attend the Judge Advocate School. Upon completion, he would spend his military career trying cases during the Korean War and after. During his time in the Judge Advocate Corp., he was awarded the Legion of Merit. He organized the 360th reserve unit of the 12th Legal Operations Detachment U.S. Army Reserve JAG Corp, attended the Command and General Staff school and the War College. He was awarded the Star of a Brigadier General before he became the Chief Judge of the U.S. Army Reserve. Bill served as Assistant Attorney General of SC for five years before establishing his private practice, Berry and Gibbes. The practice would later be known as Berry, Lightsey, and Gibbes and ultimately as William H. Gibbes, P.A. at 1518 Washington St. in Columbia, SC. He was a member of the Richland County Bar, SC Bar and admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Military Appeals, U.S. District Court of SC, U.S. Supreme Court, and U.S. Court of Appeals (4th cir). He was especially proud to be a founding member of The American Board of Trial Advocates of which he served as sec-treasurer and president. He was a member of Trinity Cathedral, Kiwanis Club, Forest Lake Club, Kiawah Island Club, Caprician Dance Club, Tarantella, and founding member of Doonbeg Golf Club and Resort in Clare County, Ireland. Bill’s biography is noted in numerous volumes including "Who's Who in America" of 2000. He is survived by his wife, Frances; daughter, Mary Evelyn “Lynn” Haynes (Jay); son, William Gibbes, Jr.; granddaughters, Maryann Tripp (Lance) and Savanna Lynn Haynes; nephews, Lawrence Gibbes, Jr. (Inis) of Camden and Brian Gibbes (Florence) of Hilton Head; nieces, Pamela Liehbacher of Banner Elk, NC and Brenda Rutchka (Alex) of Tega Cay; and numerous cousins. He is predeceased by his parents; his son, Richard Hagood Gibbes; two brothers, Lawrence Watson Gibbes and Charles Walker Gibbes; and sister, Mary Janice Poole. The family would also like to express their sincerest gratitude to the caregivers of Still Hopes Solutions for Living and Palmetto Health Hospice. A celebration of life will be held 12:30 o’clock on Wednesday, April 25th at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Interment with military honors will follow at Fort Jackson National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4:30 until 6 o'clock on Tuesday, April 24th at the Guignard Mansion, Still Hopes Retirement Community, 1 Still Hopes Dr., West Columbia. The family would like all members of ABOTA to serve as honorary pallbearers. Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family. In Lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 1100 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, or to USC Foundations, 1525 Senate Street, Room 253, Columbia 29208 (Please designate to the School of Law on the memo line), or to the charity of one’s choice.

Tributes

BG William H. Gibbes, Sr. USAR (Ret.)

February 25, 1930 - April 21, 2018