Joseph Day Gibbs, known as Joe Day, entered his heavenly home on Thursday evening, February 16, 2023, from Jackson-Madison County General Hospital at the age of 93.
Born Wednesday, November 20, 1929, in Jackson, TN, he was the only child of Joseph Roy and Susie Day Gibbs. Growing up in Jackson, Joe Day attended Jackson High School and was a proud member of the graduating class of 1948 where he played football. He then attended the University of Tennessee at Martin, where several football team members coerced him to join the team due to his speed on the field.
Proudly serving in the United States Air Force, he served in the Korean War and was stationed in Greenland. Spending the vast majority of his working career at Conalco, he retired in the 1980s. An outdoorsman, he loved hunting squirrels and deer as well as bass fishing. Joe Day was passionate about the Tennessee Volunteers, often driving himself to football games in his favorite Nissan pick-up truck. He would use his son‘s season tickets and would sit and cheer amongst his son’s rowdy fraternity brothers.
A true and faithful servant, Joe Day was frugal and thrifty with his own expenses but had a huge heart for others, especially those in need. He helped many unbeknown to others. Joe Day was a long-time member of First Baptist Church, where his gift of serving others was evident working in the children’s ministries, picking up the elderly for church, and assisting with the weekly Bible Study at Brookdale Jackson Oaks.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 37 years, Betty Massey Gibbs, now residing at the Cades Center for Assisted Living in Humboldt, TN; his children, Latricia Stallings and husband Ben of Humboldt, TN, and Mike Gibbs and wife Deborah of Memphis, TN; Betty’s children, Jeffrey Massey and wife Shelley of Slayden, MS and Charity Fowler and husband Chris of Oakland TN; grandchildren, Caroline Stallings Rushing and husband Seth, Sophie Stallings, Emma Frances Gibbs, Ashley Massey Lipe and husband Kevin, Tyler Massey, Kendall Fowler, Anna Grace Fowler, and Chloe Fowler. Joe Day was preceded in death by Betty’s son, Andy Massey, and her granddaughter, Summar Fowler.
SERVICE: The Funeral Service for Joe Day Gibbs will be Monday, February 20, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of Arrington Funeral Directors with Rev. Bill Smith and Rev. Douglas Renfroe officiating. Burial will follow in Hollywood Cemetery with Dr. Scott Gilbert officiating.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until the service time at 11:00 a.m.
The family has requested that memorial contributions be directed to First Baptist Church, 1627 N. Highland Ave, Jackson, TN 38301, or online at www.fbcjackson.org/give/, or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or online at www.stjude.org.
Arrington Funeral Directors 148 W. University Parkway Jackson, TN 38305
731.668.1111 www.arringtonfuneralgroup.com
