Pauline Eleanor "Polly" Gibson, 95, a former English teacher with a passion for family, history and poetry, passed away Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014. Before moving to Sherwood Oaks in Cranberry Township in 2004, Polly and her late husband, William R. "Bill" Gibson, had lived in Ross Township for nearly 40 years. In retirement, Polly travelled widely with Bill, and the couple continued to participate energetically as members of the Berkeley Hills Lutheran Church in Ross Township. Polly assisted with the church cradle room and did volunteer work, including helping to prepare dinners for Meals on Wheels. At Sherwood Oaks, Polly was a member of the chorus and drama group. Fascinated by the history of the Revolutionary War and Civil War, Polly was a member and former officer of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She also drew on her sense of history to serve as the go-to historian for her family, possessing an uncanny ability to remember all the big dates, as well as all the little details. She cherished her role as mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Throughout her life she made it an absolute priority to keep in contact with the many relatives in her extended family, as well as a wide circle of friends, and managed to convey to all just how important each one was to her. Polly graduated from Dickenson College in Carlisle in 1940, having commuted to classes most days by steam locomotive. She went on to teach junior high school English in central Pennsylvania and later taught in the North Hills School District, where her responsibilities also included both remedial reading and gifted learning programs. A strong advocate for youth and education, Polly served as a Girl Scout troop leader and was a member of the American Association of University Women. She took part in book groups, and especially enjoyed reading, writing and teaching poetry. Polly is survived by her children, W. David Gibson (Larissa) and Deborah Gibson Goulish (Robert) and their spouses, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A funeral service for Polly will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at the Berkeley Hills Lutheran Church in Ross Township. There will be a private interment. For those who wish to make contributions, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions may be made to the Berkeley Hills Lutheran Church, 517 Sangree Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237, or to the North Hills Community Outreach, 1975 Ferguson Road, Allison Park, PA 15101 (or http://www.nhco.org). Arrangements by DEVLIN FUNERAL HOME OF CRANBERRY, 2678 Rochester Road, 724-772-8800.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Thursday, September 4, 2014