George Horner Gibson died at his home in Chicago on Jan. 3, 2021. He was 88.
Gibson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. He graduated from Furman University with bachelor's degrees in history and English. He served in the U.S. Army for two years of active duty and four years of reserve duty. He was awarded a Danforth Fellowship for graduate study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a master's degree and PhD in American history.
Gibson taught at the University of Mississippi and at the University of Delaware; at the latter, he coordinated the graduate fellows' program with the Hagley Museum in Wilmington, Delaware. He published one book and edited several others. Gibson published more than a score of articles in history journals and served as managing editor of Delaware History for eleven years. After becoming interested in academic administration, he initiated several programs at the University of Delaware. He went on to become vice president and dean of the College at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, and provost at the American University in Cairo and the American University in Armenia.
In retirement, he volunteered for five years at Casey House Hospice in Toronto, Ontario and for 18 years at the Art Institute of Chicago.
He loved his husband, John Vernon Darey; his former wife; his two sons; and their families. He enjoyed gardening, reading, walking in Millennium Park and traveling to new destinations with John.
At Gibson's request, no services will be held. His ashes are to be buried in a memorial garden at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Canton, New York. Among his last words were: "Scatter some bread crumbs on my grave. The sparrows will keep me company until John arrives."
Arrangements by Cremation Society of Illinois, 773-281-5058 or www.cremation-society.com .
