Arlett Gibbons

Arlett Gibbons, Beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-mother, Artlett Jean (Raef) Gibbons,July 13, 2015 at age 85, died peacefully after a short illness at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, surrounded by family. Arlett was born March 2, 1930, to Anthony and Velma (Diedrick) Raef in Peru, Illinois, and the youngest of three children. Arlett married Jim Gibbons on June 20, 1953. Jim was born and raised on a family farm in Delhi, Illinois. They began their life in Peru, Illinois, moving to Ames, Iowa, where Jim completed his PhD in Economics at Iowa State University. They then moved for faculty positions to University of Wisconsin-Platteville and then University of Detroit. They settled in Ann Arbor in 1969, where Jim was a Professor of Economics at Eastern Michigan University.

Arlett was an Academic Secretary for the University of Michigan Math Department from September 1973 to September 1989, helping professors and graduate students alike with dissertations, grading and other areas for a well-run department. She made many friends, including department heads and faculty. In later years, she ran into many of her coworkers at Glacier Hills Retirement Center, where she lived after her husband’s death.

Arlett traveled widely with Jim for many years. When their children were young, they crisscrossed the United States and parts of Canada on camping trips, especially enjoying many trips to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Later Arlett and Jim visited Soviet Russia and Poland prior to the collapse of the USSR. They traveled all over Europe in the 1970’s and 80’s, often with extended college sponsored educational trips, gaining many new friends along the way. Some returned the favor and visited them in Ann Arbor when they to the United States. New Zealand and Australia were also visited. In later years, they began taking ocean cruises, including Panama Canal crossings and one to Alaska in 1996 with her son Kevin and his wife Kim that will never be forgotten. They drove across North America many times, staying for extended periods in the Big Bend portion of Texas, parts of Northern California where they experienced a strong earthquake first-hand, areas of Flagstaff, Arizona and then Maui, Hawaii.

After Jim’s passing in 1999, Arlett continued her travels, including a visit to Europe and South Africa. She continued volunteer activities at St. Mary’s and also volunteered for the University of Michigan Hospital Gift Shop. She enjoyed attending musical events with her many friends. Arlett loved her family. She loved taking care of her grandchildren, treating them to stays at Weber’s Inn in Ann Arbor so they could swim and play. She loved and often visited her grandchildren in California as well. She is sorely missed.  She is survived by her sister Verda Mankowski of Chicago, her brother Andy Raef of Florida, her daughter Mary Clare (Gary) Hill in Dexter, sons Jim of Ann Arbor and Kevin (Kim) of Sunnyvale, California; grandchildren Jennifer Hill of Ann Arbor, Karen (Skyler) Owen of Chelsea, Christopher Gibbons and Courtney Gibbons of Sunnyvale, California; and great grandchildren Landon and Kennedy Owen.

In lieu of flowers, Arlett requested contributions be made to St. Francis Catholic Church.

Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., on Saturday October 10, 2015, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Jerseyville, Illinois. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m., with Father Patrick Gibbons Officiating. Burial will take place at St. Francis Cemetery in Jerseyville. Alexander & Gubser Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.

Obit Provided By:
Alexander Funeral Home