Alliene Gibens

TupeloAlliene Pickens Gibens, 92, died at her home on November 3, 2008, after an extended illness. She was born January 20, 1916, in Baldwyn, Mississippi, the daughter of Wiley Alfred and Maybelle Drummond Pickens.

A graduate of Ripley High School, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Blue Mountain College. She married Travis Eston Gibens on December 24, 1936. Her teaching career began at Pine Grove and Palmer High Schools in Tippah County. After her family moved to Tupelo, she taught one year at Verona High School before beginning a 32 year career at Lawhon Junior High, where she retired in 1981. She earned Master of Arts degrees in English and later in counseling from Mississippi State University.

Through her employment with the School system, Mrs. Gibens had a tremendous impact on the lives of countless children as she quietly encouraged them to expect the best of themselves, yet never let them doubt that they could count on her continued love when their best didnt surface every time. Her students observed her standing strongly for hard work, uncompromising moral integrity and her belief in the goodness of others. In 1980, she was named Counselor of the Year, State of Mississippi, by the US Personnel and Guidance Association.

Mrs. Gibens served as president of both the Lawhon and Tupelo High School PTAs and was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and several other professional organizations. Always active in her community, she was a past president of the Tupelo Pilot Club and Committee Woman for Pilot International, a committee chairman for Tupelo Clean and Beautiful and Heart Sunday Chairman for the American Heart Association. She was a charter member of the East Heights Garden Club, and a member of Sorosis Club, Daughters of the American Revolution and Shepherds Center. In 1982, she was named Tupelos Outstanding Citizen by the Tupelo Junior Auxiliary. In 2004, New Expectations for Women in Mississippi recognized her among its first group of Women of Distinction.

For many years Mrs. Gibens was a Sunday School teacher or department director at Harrisburg Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir and participated in Merry Makers.

Mrs. Gibens delighted in her grandchildren and supported their school and sports activities. She loved flowers and always had a beautiful yard. For many years she was a member of a Friday night canasta group. She had traveled extensively in this country and abroad.

Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Harrisburg Baptist Church with Rev. David Langerfeld officiating. A private burial service will follow at Lee Memorial Park. W.E. Pegues Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.

She is survived by three children: Donna Kaye Gibens Randle and Benny, L.E. Bo Gibens and Joyce, all of Tupelo, and Rosemary Gibens Aultman and Les of Clinton, MS, and her grandchildren Kent Randle, Resa Randle, Leslie Gibens Burks and Greg, Brad Gibens and Meg, Leighton Gibens and Julie, Eric Gibens and Ramey, Paige Aultman Hurley and Bill, Erin Aultman Johnston and Troy and seventeen great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a brother Edward Pickens (Helen) and a step-brother, Donald Mallard (Julia).

Mrs. Gibens was preceded in death by her husband in 1974, a son, Travis Ronald Gibens in 1986, her parents, her step-mother, Olive Pickens, and a brother, Leland Pickens.

Her grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home and 10 a.m. until service time at the church on Thursday.

Because so many of Mrs. Gibens former students referred to her as their hero, her children created a scholarship in her honor in 1994. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Alliene Gibens Be a Hero Scholarship through CREATE, PO Box 1053, Tupelo MS 38802.