Patricia Emily Gibbons

On November 4, 1978, a bright light entered our universe and lit up our world by touching the lives of many people for 38 years. On November 9, 2016, that same bright light left our universe to begin a new life in the Heavenly realm. That bright light is Emily Gibbons, daughter of Patti Gibbons and the late Darby Gibbons.

Emily was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She spent the next 5 years in Winchendon, Mass., where her dad taught school. Emily and her parents relocated to Vero Beach to be near their families so Emily could grow up alongside her cousins who were like siblings to her.

Emily attended Maitland Farm Preschool, Rosewood Elementary School, St. Edward’s School and graduated in 1997 from Vero Beach High School. She was a proud member of Mr. Miller’s award-winning Vero Beach High School Chorus which took her and other students to Austria to sing in the Schubert Festival in the summer of ’97.

Emily was the recipient of a Richardson Foundation Scholarship. She also received a scholarship from Brevard College in Brevard, NC, where she studied music for two years. In 1999 Emily returned to Vero Beach and continued her studies at Indian River State College, transferring to the University of Florida where she graduated with honors in 2004 with a degree in Elementary Education. While attending the University of Florida, Emily was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

Emily began her teaching career with the EOC Head Start Program in Vero Beach where she taught for 9 years receiving awards for perfect attendance and positive attitude. Emily also taught 3rd grade at the Imagine School and was a substitute teacher in the School District of Indian River County. In August of this year, Emily began a new teaching job at St. Peter’s Preparatory Academy in Gifford where she taught 3rd grade. She loved her students and her job and looked forward to each day at St. Peter’s Academy.
Her students and fellow teachers recently honored her life with a beautiful memorial service.

Emily’s love for music continued when she joined the Vero Beach Choral Society and performed in Carnegie Hall in NYC. Emily also enjoyed traveling and discovering new places whether it was the Mayan pyramids in Mexico or her annual trip to Epcot to taste her favorite foods and libations in the different countries. Her dream was to visit the British Isles one day to see the homeland of her ancestors.

Her passion for singing transferred into a passion for exercising and Emily was an avid member of Max Fitness Club in Vero Beach where she worked out daily On Saturday, Nov. 26, 9:00 AM, Max Fitness will host “Sweatin’ for Emily” to honor Emily’s life and raise money for St. Peter’s Academy. Max Fitness Club is located in the shopping center behind Outback Restaurant.

Emily is survived by her mom, Patti Willmot Gibbons, her grandmother, Gloria Miller Gibbons, Willmot family aunts and uncles, Bill and Judy Willmot, Linda Willmot Scott, Rosemary Willmot and Ronnie Willmot; first cousins Tara Willmot McGowan (Brian), Will Willmot (Audrey), Reed Willmot (Jessica), Bonnie Willmot Matz (J), Jacob Scott (Kristen), Andrea Clements (Coury) and Diana Sacrey (Brent) and all of their children. She is also survived by Gibbons family aunts and uncles, Chuck and Marie Gibbons, Gloria and Richard Tejera, Heather and Joe Lowther, Madge and Tim Dobeck, Barbara Gibbons, Rose Gibbons, Kevin and Roxanne Gibbons; first cousins, Sean Gibbons (Lori), Chad Gibbons (Monica), Travis Gibbons (Jaclyn), Tambi Gibbons Cobb, Kristen Gibbons Mickler, Amy Gibbons Balfe (Ryan), Brandon Gibbons, Dax Tejera, Justine “Kiwi” Tejera, Jordan Lowther (Andrea), Matt Lowther (Tiffany), Dylan Lowther, Morgan Lowther, Josh Dobeck (Megan), Zackary Dobeck (Catherine), Erin Dobeck, Dana Gibbons, Tristen Gibbons and all of their children.

Emily is also survived by her recently adopted kitten, Woody, and her dearest childhood friends, Kelly, Rachel and Kyle, and her new friends, Anna, and others that she had met through teaching and her daily workouts at the gym. Emily will be sorely missed by her “nieces and nephews,” Scotty, Andrew, Sophie, Tatum, Addie, Liam, Amelia, Annalise Darby, Ella, John, Nola, Merritt, Hazel and Miller.

She is predeceased by her father Morris A “Darby” Gibbons, her grandfather, Morris A. “Toni” Gibbons, her grandmother Marilyn “Ollie” Willmot, grandfather William Watson Willmot, uncles Carter and Mark Gibbons and her Siamese cat of 16+ years, Della.

A celebration of Emily’s life will take place at the Emerson Center in Vero Beach at 2 pm on Saturday, November 26.

Donations can be made in Emily’s memory to St. Peter’s Preparatory Academy, 4250 38th Avenue, Vero Beach 32967 or to St. Francis Manor Building Fund, 1750 20th Avenue, Vero Beach 32960.