Warren D. Gibson age 94 of Alexandria died on Sunday, November 1, 2015 at the Alex Assisted Living. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 AM on Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alexandria. Visitation will be held 4-7 PM on Tuesday, November 3, 2015 with Prayers at 4 PM at the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria and one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the St. Mary’s Debt Retirement Fund.
OBITUARY
Warren Donald Gibson was born on July 9, 1921 in Ulen, Minnesota to Henry and Inga (Jorgenson) Gibson. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith in Ulen. Warren graduated from Ulen High School in 1939 as Salutatorian of his class. He started to attend college as WWII started. Shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Warren enlisted in the Naval Air Corp, but was unable to serve due to a health condition. He then moved to Seattle to work in the defense industry throughout the war. Warren moved back to Minnesota and attended Concordia College and the Minnesota School of Business where he earned a business degree. He is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association National Installment Credit School, the Wisconsin School of Banking and the Harvard Graduate School of Banking.
On August 12, 1950, Warren was united in marriage to Rose Zetocha at the St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fargo. He went to work for Universal CIT Company in commercial credit. He traveled between Fargo, St. Paul, Rochester and Eau Claire. In 1959, he earned top salesman in the country and earned a trip to Mexico City and Acapulco. Warren joined Bremer Bank in 1964 in South St. Paul. He moved to Brandon in 1975 to be President of the Brandon Bank and retired in 1986. Rose and Warren then moved to Alexandria in 1989.
Warren and Rose had just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. For their 25th wedding anniversary Warren converted to Catholicism. He enjoyed time of reflection at the Demontreville Jesuit Retreat where he had 34 years of perfect attendance. Warren served as a lector and lay communion distributor at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Brandon, Minnesota. Some of Warren’s hobbies were golfing, fishing, and goose hunting. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, a 30 year member of Alexandria Golf Club, served as President of Kiwanis in South St. Paul, was chairman of the United Way in South St. Paul, and a member of the Lions Club in both Brandon and Alexandria where he served as President. He loved to read books and the newspaper; he read seven newspapers daily. Warren was proud to be from Ulen; often chanting the phrase “Lutefisk and lefsa, gammel ost and preem. That’s what puts the pep in the Ulen Team!”
Warren died on Sunday, November 1, 2015 at Alex Assisted Living at the age of 94. He is survived by his loving wife, Rose of Alexandria; daughter, Barbara (Allen) Faber of Rhinelander, WI; granddaughter, Rebecca Faber, MD of Madison, WI; sister, Patricia Hirsch of Northbrook, IL; and nephews, Mitchell and Steven. Warren is preceded in death by his parents; adoptive sister, Eileen Mathiason (Richfield, MN); and nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alexandria with Father Steve Binsfeld officiating. Entombment was held at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Alexandria.