Margaret Gibbons
Baltimore, MD |
Margaret M. (McFarlane) Gibbons of Baltimore MD, died at home on Friday October 8, 2010 following a long illness. Her close family surrounded her.
Margaret was born in Alton, IL in 1943. As the oldest child, she helped raise many of her siblings, which in part shaped the generous nature that she carried through the rest of her life. She attended Marquette high School in Alton and went on to earn a teaching degree from St. Louis University.
She taught high school English in St. Louis until moving to Germany with her first husband, David Guccione, also from Alton, IL. After returning to the US, Margaret lived in Carbondale, IL, Colorado Springs, CO, and Florissant, MO. She began her career as a librarian in her children’s primary school and continued on at St. Lawrence University in Canton. NY. As an Avid reader and lifelong lover of literature, this suited her well.
Margaret was committed to furthering education for herself as well as for others. She earned her Masters Degree in Library Science from SUNY Albany while pioneering and managing the implementation of network-based access as a Reference Librarian at St. Lawrence University. She went on to earn a second Masters Degree in English Literature from SUNY Potsdam.
From 1993 to 1994, Margaret served as a Fullbright Scholar, teaching online search techniques to librarians in Bucharest, Romania. She later acted as the University Librarian for John Cabot School in Rome, Italy. Margaret finished her career at Goucher College in Baltimore where she was highly respected by faculty, staff and students as a teacher and librarian. She started a support and networking group for online researchers known as the Mid-Atlantic Innovative Users Group with a thriving membership and annual conference. She also chaired the Julia Rogers Research Prize Jury.
Margaret loved animals and volunteered at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS). She loved to walk, train and help find homes for rescued cats and dogs, including her own cats, Annie and Lucy. And her beloved dog, Cooper. She was well known and enjoyed chatting to the other dog owners in Patterson Park where Cooper loved to chase after squirrels. Upon description of a particular dog one had seen walking in the park, Margaret could often tell you the names of the pet, the owner and a bit of background on both.
After moving to Baltimore in 1994, Margaret met and married her husband Jon. She and Jon spent much of their time preparing their beach house and the flower and fruit garden in Lake Como, NJ for their retirement. They also enjoyed supporting the Concert Artists of Baltimore, watching baseball, and traveling to visit the grandchildren in New Zealand and England.
She is survived by her husband Jon J. Gibbons of Baltimore, MD. Her three children, Lisa Guccione and husband Will Sheats of Neptune, NJ, David Guccione and wife Judith of Tauranga, New Zealand and Mara Guccione and husband Odin Zackman of Berkeley, CA; grandchildren Jacob and Eva Guccione; her mother Bertha McFarlane. She is also survived by ten brothers and sisters, John, Peter, Thomas, Paul, Anne Mangus, James, Mary Vaughn, Joseph, Robert, and Andrew. She was preceded in death by her father, Dr. Peter J. McFarlane and brother Philip.
A service was held at Goucher College in Baltimore MD. Donations may be made to Marquette Catholic High School.
Local arrangements are through Staten-Fine Funeral Home in Alton
Staten, Fine & Burke Funeral Home
