Columbus Franklin Gibson, 81, a resident of Brookview Healthcare Center and formerly of 994 Quarter Round Road, Pacolet, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, Nov. 10, 2006, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

Born in Pennington Gap, Va., he was the son of the late Bill Gibson and Goldia Quillen Gibson and widower of Juanita Knox Gibson. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and was retired from the textile industry.

Mr. Gibson was a member of Silica Springs Baptist Church.

Surviving are two daughters, Evelyn Gibson Rector and husband, James, of Pacolet and Shirley Gibson Willingham and husband, Terry, of Gaffney; five brothers, Bob Gibson and Jerry Gibson, both of Pacolet, Doug Gibson and Olin Gibson, both of Gaffney, and Carl Gibson of Daytona Beach, Fla.; four sisters, Nancy Wade of Gaffney, Ruth Pochodzay of Pacolet, Betty Scobey of Michigan and Allene Livesay of Radcliffs, Ky.; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; seven great-great grandchildren; a brother-inlaw, Glenwood Dupree; a sister in-law, Claudine Gibson; and a special friend, Joyce Blackwell.

Mr. Gibson was preceded in death by a son, Terry Wayne Gibson; three sisters, Geneva Cupp, Rita Dupree and Jeanette Gibson; and three brothers, Ross Gibson, Oscar Gibson and Billy Gray Gibson.

Services will be held today at 2 p.m. at Silica Springs Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Lynn Ford and Will Vergara. Interment will be in Goucher Baptist Church Cemetery.

Visitation was held Sunday from 6-8 p.m. at Blakely Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Silica Springs Baptist Church Building Fund, 2032 Pacolet Hwy., Gaffney, S.C. 29340; or to St. Jude Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 187, Memphis, Tenn., 38101- 0187.

The family will be at the residence.

An online guest register is available at www.blakelyfuneralhome. com.

Arrangements by Blakely Funeral Home