Idaleen Gibson

Funeral services for Idaleen Maloney Gibson, 92, of the Oak Hill community, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 7, 2011, at Oak Hill Methodist Church, with burial to follow. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m.Thursday evening at Crawford-A. Crim Funeral Home.Mrs. Gibson died Wednesday morning Oct. 5, 2011, at Autumn Leaves. She was born April 23, 1919, in Henderson, to John Thomas and Della Lucille Beall Maloney, both from pioneering Rusk County families. She spent most of her life in Oak Hill, graduating from Oak Hill School in 1939.Idaleen married Rayford Gibson on Jan. 4, 1940 and they spent 63 years together until his death in 2003. Although they had no children of their own, Idaleen and Rayford were always willing to quietly "lend a helping hand" to young people who needed encouragement or financial assistance.At an early age, Mrs. Gibson joined her father in the family business, Maloney?s Store in Oak Hill. After his death in 1957, she continued to operate the store until her retirement in 1990. During that time, she depended on the help of her sister, Lucille Maloney Pool, her husband and her faithful employee, Robbie Carlisle. She also served on the Board of Directors of Merchants State Bank of Mount Enterprise.As a young person, Idaleen became a member of Oak Hill Methodist Church and served as a steward, always concerned with the appearance and the comfort of the church. Along with her uncle and aunt, Monnie and Linnie Maloney, and husband, Rayford, she was involved with the establishment of Oak Hill Cemetery in 1955 and the subsequent moving of the church to its present site.In recent years, she has contributed to the Depot Museum Country Store project, sharing artifacts from her store as well as financial support.She also helped in the acquisition of a Texas Historical Cemetery marker for Millville Cemetery where her Maloney grandparents and great-grandparents are interred.Mrs. Gibson was preceded in death by her husband, Rayford, her parents and her sister, Lucille Pool.She is survived by nephews, Lavern Gibson and Doyle Duran; nieces, Patricia Worley Armstrong and Mandy Cobb; four great-nieces; two great-nephews; a number of very dear cousins from the Maloney and Beall families and a host of friends including Theresa Caldwell and Nacho Flores.Pallbearers will be: Kevin Green, Eddie Armstrong, Nacho Flores, Mike Maloney, Gilbert Baker and Allen Gibson.Honorary pallbearers are: Bob Beall, George Bennett, Richard Ferguson, Gerald Green, Ricky Minton, Mike Pepper, Richard Thornton, Bobby Weatherford, Bob Wink and Johnny Young.Memorials may be made to Oak Hill Cemetery, 10513 FM 2011E, Longview, TX 75603.

Idaleen Gibson

April 23, 1919 - October 5, 2011