Bonita Gibson, the second-oldest living person in the USA, passed away in Michigan on 10 March, at the age of 114 years, 249 days.
Gibson was born in Hoxie, Sheridan County, Kansas, on 4 July 1911. She grew up with her older brother, Daryl. After their parents separated, their uncle and aunt in Mound City, Missouri, took them in and raised them.
Gibson met her future husband, Kenneth, in high school—he was a senior, and she was a sophomore. They married in 1930 during the Great Depression. She later recalled how tough those times were, but they managed to get by with hard work and resourcefulness. The couple raised chickens, tended a large garden, and grew various fruit trees to keep food on the table.
In the 1930s, they moved to Idaho to join one of Kenneth’s relatives who owned a farm. This move introduced them to the potato industry. Kenneth handled potato shipments to places like Chicago, while Gibson managed the office work. They welcomed their son, also named Kenneth, in January 1937.
After Kenneth passed away in 2003, Gibson relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, to be closer to her son. Later, she moved again to be near her grandchildren in Metro Detroit, Michigan.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Bonita Gibson during this difficult time.
