Lake Gibbes Goodwin, 69, died Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg.Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Friday, May 29, at First Baptist Church, Ellisville with interment at Tucker's Crossing Baptist Church Cemetery.Gibbes was born in Utica, Miss. He graduated from Ole Miss, where he played football and was the top cadet at the ROTC, and later served as a Major in the U.S. Army for seven years. He had a wide range of talents, including gunsmithing, woodworking, and piloting airplanes. Gibbes was involved in several businesses over the years. These experiences contributed greatly to the development and success of Challenge Country.Gibbes dreamed of and built Challenge Country, an experimental learning center and ropes course located in Ellisville. There he used his unique gift of teaching and his servant's heart to touch and transform many lives.Besides spending time with his ten beloved grandchildren, some of Gibbes' favorite activities included working hard, story telling, enjoying meals cooked by his wife and best friend, Jan, and teaching Sunday School classes at both First Baptist Church of Laurel and First Baptist Church of Ellisville. He was a past member of the Laurel Kiwanis Club and an active Ellisville Rotary Club member. He absolutely adored trying new restaurants and sharing them with friends and family.Gibbes lived completely in the service of his Lord and Savior, and that was reflected in every aspect of his life.He was preceded in death by his parents, John Reed Goodwin and Wilmot Gibbes Goodwin; brother, Johnny Goodwin; and grandson, Russell Ian Nix.He is survived by his wife, Jan Geddie Goodwin; son, Russell Nix and his wife, Dory, of Ellisville; daughters, Cindi Jefcoat of Clinton, Allyson Goodwin Easterwood of Hattiesburg, and Leslie Lake Sullivan and her husband, Mark, of Laurel; 10 grandchildren, Gibbes Easterwood, Brent Tyler Holifield, Jeffrey David Holifield, Wil Edward Sullivan, Josh Bennett Sullivan, Erik David Nix, Evan Mikael Nix, Jan Jefcoat Reeves, Anna Michael Jefcoat, and Angie Danielle Nix.Ellisville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.