More detail on this person: Lieutenant Colonel
Walter Melvin Bud Gibbs, USMC, Retired, was born
in Jacksonville, Florida on October 24th, 1943. He
passed away peacefully at home under Hospice
Care surrounded by family, friends and loved ones
on May 31st, 2015. Lt. Col. W. M. Gibbs was a
decorated military veteran and United States
Marine Corps Aviator, who served his country
honorably. He was preceded in death by his
parents, Melvin Gibbs and Mildred Simms Gibbs,
and daughter, Michele Jansen. He leaves behind his
beloved wife of 45 years, Luanne Marie Gibbs,
daughter Beth Summerlin (Ray), sister Audrey Dale
Gibbs, six grandchildren and one
great-granddaughter. His named grandchildren are:
Meagan Wolfson (Andrew), Bryan Jansen, Lauren
Jansen, Tim Summerlin (April), Mary Lunsford
(Weston), and Andrew Summerlin and recently born
great-granddaughter, Avery Grace Lunsford. Lt.
Col. W. M. Gibbs is a 1961 Graduate of Dupont
High School and a 1965 Graduate of the University
of Georgia with a BA in Business Administration.
He was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha
fraternity and entered the United States Marine
Corps upon completion of Officer Candidate School
in December 1965. He entered the Basic School in
Quantico, VA and graduated in May 1966. He
completed flight training in Pensacola, FL
November 1967. After operational training, he was
assigned to VMO-2 Squadron in Vietnam as a
Helicopter Gunship Pilot. After serving
meritoriously in Vietnam, he continued his
faithful 21 year career of military service. Lt.
Col. W. M. Gibbs honorably retired on December
1986, after completing his service with the Fleet
Marine Force Pacific located in Okinawa, Japan.
Lt. Col. W. M. Gibbs awards include: the
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal w/ 1 Star,
the Bronze Star w/ V for Valor, Meritorious
Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps
Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps
Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon,
Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit
Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation,
National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service
Medal w/3 Stars, Humanitarian Service Medal, Sea
Service Deployment Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam
Meritorious Unit Citation Gallantry Cross,
Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation
Civil Action, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign
Medal. Lt. Col. W. M. Gibbs also maintained an
Expert Qualification with both the M-16 Rifle and
the .38 caliber Pistol throughout his military
career. He was a tried and true patriot who loved
and supported the military as well as the
foundation of our United States Constitution--all
of his living days. He was greatly loved and will
be tremendously missed by his entire family, close
friends and neighbors. A funeral celebrating his
life will be held at Hardage Giddens Funeral Home
of Mandarin on June 10th, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. In
lieu of flowers, the family requests that you
donate to the following organizations in honor of
Lt. Col. Walter Melvin Gibbs, USMC, Retired:
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, 909 N.
Washington St. Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314
*Online giving visit
https://my.mcsf.org/2014/donate Community
Hospice Care, 4114 Sunbeam Road, Bldg. 400,
Jacksonville, Florida 32257 communityhospice.com
Arrangements are under the care and direction of
Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin 11801
San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32223
www.hgmandarin.com (904)288-0025
Published in the Florida Times-Union on June 7,
2015
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 11/02/2023
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