Allen Gibson

On the 28th day of January, 2018 Allen Gibson saw the face of Jesus for the very first time, but it is a moment that will go on for an eternity.
Allen was born 66 years ago to Wanda Bullard Gibson and James Carl Gibson at St Mary’s hospital on the 12th of April, 1951. A true Grand Jct native he attended schools from Palisade to Grand Jct High School. I think he tried out so many because he wanted a place without walls. He truly had a wandering heart and a love for adventure.
Before he was 18, Allen and his nephew decided to enlist in the Navy. Allen wanted to be a gunner on a riverboat. But before he got to California his mother intervened and told the recruiting officer that Allen had a bad heart. Allen just recently was given the letter his mother wrote to his sister confessing what she had done. Allen was still mad about that, but I’m sure he’s over it now.
He held many jobs over the course of his life. The man could do and make anything. His natural abilities were astounding. He worked as a hod carrier in Colorado Springs where he learned how to lay brick. He worked a summer on the Mesa herding cattle (I don’t think he cared for that job). He worked on an oil rig as a young man, and traveled back and forth to California, Arizona and Nevada putting in swimming pools for Blue Haven. He also was involved with solar energy at the very beginning. But I think Allen’s true love was playing with the band Sierra. Once again he excelled at what he put his hand to, and was blessed with equally talented band members. He always said that they had natural talent and that he didn’t, so he had to work extra hard to not be embarrassed, (I don’t think I believe that).
After he left the band he began managing a pool hall in Palisade called The Livery. Because of Allen’s work ethic and his love of people, the place did very well.
In 1986 his partners in The Livery had another bar in Grand Jct called Cahoots. The manager there got his jaw broken during a fight so Allen came down to manage that bar. That’s when I met him and fell in love with his sense of humor, decency and his love of activities that might get you thrown in jail if you got caught.
When Allen and his partners opened The Rose I followed him there because I couldn’t imagine not seeing him all the time. It was Allen that made that place a success. Just his all around love of the people who came through the doors every night, whether they were there to dance or serve the people that came in. One of Allen’s sayings when he would be reminiscing about the people who came into his life was “we got to be pretty good friends, don’t know why they liked me.” But I do.
When we married he became a dad to a little girl. I think it scared him to death! But being Allen he stepped up to the plate and did the very best job that he could. He loved Bobbie as if he had been there on the day she was born. He would do anything for her or buy her anything (definitely was into spoiling his girls). Even stayed up one night resewing her cheerleader outfit that was too big so it would be ready the next morning for her game. Like I said, he could do anything, including sew an outfit.
But about 1995 God began to make an appearance in out lives, and the bar life just didn’t fit in anymore. The more he learned about the grace of God the more he wanted to know.
So through prayer he found our church home, a place that has continued to teach us just the straight word of God. Because the bar didn’t fit anymore, Allen began doing excavation work. He got a little bobcat and backhoe and built a dump truck. He could do amazing things with that bobcat, it was like it was a part of his body.
But when a job in the oilfield came up he took that. Even though it was overseas in places that no man should want to go, (Algeria, Iraq, Qatar, Libya, among others) I think he felt that this was the best way to provide for his family, and that was Allen, always putting others first.
Unfortunately, Allen truly did have a bad heart. And 4 years ago his health took a turn for the worse. Being a very private man he didn’t want people to know, and I don’t think that most did, he hid his discomfort well.
But the one thing I want everyone to know (if you have stuck with this tale this far), is that Allen was a very happy content man. He loved so many and counted them all friends!
But if Allen had one more chance to look you in the face and put his arms around you for a hug, the only thing that he would want to tell you is that “its real, heaven is real, Jesus is real...and hell is real. You never know when your day is done, so please choose Jesus today!”
Allen was preceded in death by his mother and father. His brother Carl Rowland and his wife Judy, brother-in-law Junior Barley, nephews Dale and Ira, sister Anna Mae Arnspiger and her husband Frank.
Allen is survived by his wife Michelle, daughter Bobbie (Ryan) Mizushima, sisters Sandie Gibson, JoAnn Barley, Sue (Bobby) McCullough, brother Jack (Linda) Rowland, granddaughter Karis, and grandsons Jace and Dax. Can’t begin to tell you the names of the rest of his family, there is like a bazillion of them and I’m sure your eyes are hurting by now (if you made it through in one reading). But I thank you for giving me this opportunity to tell you about a man that meant so much to me and others. Until we see him again!
Oh, one more thing. Allen was so impressed with the man that Bobbie chose to marry, he always said that she couldn’t have found a better husband, provider, and father.
Also his pride in his grandkids was just over the top! He was just very sad that he never felt well enough to do anything with them, but one day...

Services for Allen will be held Saturday the 3rd of February at 10:00 at Calvary Chapel
492 Morning Glory Lane, Grand Jct, Colorado
A small brunch will be provided afterward. Please come and share a story of Allen.

Titus 2:13 Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.