J. NELSON GIBSON
LAURINBURG -- J. Nelson Gibson, 86, of Scotia Village and formerly of Gibson, died Monday, April 18, at Scotia Village.
Funeral services will be 3 p.m. Thursday at the Gibson United Methodist Church officiated by the Rev. Harold Salmon. Burial will follow in Pine Crest Cemetery.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Smith Gibson, formerly of Goldsboro; three daughters, Josephine Fisher of Surf City, Margie Whitlock of Gibson, and Anne Tang of Marietta, Ga.; two sisters, Elizabeth Tysor of Moyock and Catherine Lang of Greenville; and five grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Nelson graduated from Duke University in 1939 and did post graduate work at Georgetown University and served four years with the U.S. Army during World War II, where he was a cryptanalyst at the Supreme Allied Headquarters in Europe.
Following the war he returned to Gibson where he successfully changed farming practices and was a noted cotton farmer. He also served on the boards of Cotton Inc. and the National Cotton Council.
The Methodist Church was Nelson's love. He was an active lay leader in the NC Conference and worked hard to establish Methodist College in Fayetteville where he was on the first Board of Trustees and served as a trustee for 32 years.
In 1966, Nelson was named to "Who's Who in the Methodist Church." He served on the Board of Global Ministries from 1968-76, chairing the Finance Committee and the National Division. In the 1970s he headed a $5 million capital campaign for the Lake Junaluska Conference Center.
He also served as a Scotland County Commissioner, board chairman of Scotland Memorial Hospital and was a member of the NC Board of Water and Air Resources.
In 1999 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities by Methodist College.
Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday (today) at the Morris Morgan Room, Scotia Village.
Memorials may be made to Gibson United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 181, Gibson, N.C., 28343.
McDougald Funeral Home and Crematorium is serving the family.
A memorial register is at: www.mcdougald.com
(Written & Paid by the Family)
Published in Obituaries on April 20, 2005 1:53 PM