James E. Gibson

Noted Architect, James E. Gibson, died on August 24 at age 92.

He was born in McMinnville, Oregon, earned a music degree from the University of Oregon and then joined the Army. He served as a combat infantryman in the Battle of the Bulge and the Rhine Crossing.

After the war, he earned a degree in architecture from the University of Michigan. In a career spanning 60 years, Gibson rose to be Vice President of Harley, Ellington, Cowin & Stirton (now Harley, Ellington, Pierce, Yee & Associates) with commissions including the Detroit Institute of Arts, the U.S. State Department Building in Washington DC, the Henry Ford Centennial Library, and numerous other public buildings.

In 1969, he came to Florida to be the resident architect for the prestigious John’s Island community. A world recognized authority on classical Georgian architecture, Gibson went on to design homes in England and throughout the United States. His firm, Gibson and Associates, Architects, Inc. had offices in Vero Beach, Charleston SC, and San Francisco.

He has been called “the Father of Vero Beach Architecture” for the numerous homes, clubs and office buildings in the area.
An important supporter of the arts in his community, Gibson designed and donated the plans for Riverside Theater and the Vero Beach Museum of Art (then known as the Center for the Arts).

He also gave greatly of his time to the community, performing in the Baptist Church Messiah for 18 years as lead violin, as well as serving as president of the Atlantic Classical Orchestra, the Treasure Coast Opera, and the Vero Beach Concert Association.

Jim Gibson was married twice, to June Bosson Gibson and Suzan Brand Gibson. He was a loving father to three sons, Graeme, Randolph and James Gibson; his stepchildren Jay Brown, Talie Brown, Frank Brown and Susannah Kavanaugh, and his three grandchildren, Audra, Phillip and Jacob Gibson.

A memorial service will be held at St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church at 475 43rd Avenue on Saturday, August 30th, at 11 a.m.

A separate gathering celebrating his life will be held at later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to “The Exchange Club of Vero Beach Scholarship Trust” in memory of James E. Gibson, c/o The Exchange Club of Vero Beach, P.O. Box 1982, Vero Beach FL, 32961.