Helen V. Gibbons
Helen V. Gibbons, 97, passed away peacefully on January 17, 2018. Helen was a third generation San Franciscan, born the 6th of 7 children to Charles Freemont Cunningham and Jeannette Helen Miller in 1920. She grew up in the Oceanview house her grandmother built because her boarding house had burned down in the 1906 earthquake. Helen graduated from Sheridan Grammar School (K-8) and Balboa High School.
She lived exuberantly: a garden filled with dinnerplate-sized blossoms, a group of shop-and-lunch friends, hobbies of golfing (hole in one in her 70’s), swimming, walking miles through the hills with her grand dogs, vacations with her beloved family in Richardson’s Grove State Park, Russian River, Lake County, and Lake Tahoe. Her later years brought luxury liners, she was always up for a trip: China, Russia, The Caribbean, the three rivers of Europe. And one more thing: clothes shopping, finding the bargain that would delight a much loved grandchild (8 of them) and later, great grandchild (13). Her generosity and energy were legendary, an “amazing” woman, as she was so often called by those who met her.
Helen attributed family longevity well into the 90’s to strenuous activity. A lazy afternoon with her brother Ed involved a 6-mile walk from San Francisco’s Oceanview District to China Beach for a swim in the breakers, and then, having no bus money, a 6-mile walk home.
Helen was ahead of her time in a career with Bank of America that spanned more than 25 years. Starting as a bank teller in the mid-1950’s, she progressed to bank officer after turning down the position of manager at several branches. She ultimately retired in 1984 from the Bank’s worldwide headquarters in San Francisco as vice president of Employee Loans – with her own corner office overlooking Montgomery Street. While working, she joined the Credit Professionals International organization and, after retirement, continued for more than 20 years her advancement of women’s professional status by becoming a senior officer of the Bank of America Retirees organization. Within this period she touched the lives of many women who followed her into the hereto-fore masculine world.
Helen is preceded in death by her husband Gene, the love of her life in a 64-year marriage. She is survived by her daughters Judy Dwelly (Ray) and Pat Campbell (Bart Miaullis), son Tom Gibbons (Gale), grandchildren (Ron Cisi, Jeffery Cisi, Laura Cisi, Anne Campbell Crawford, John Campbell, Megan Campbell Hanken, Monica Gibbons Donovan, and Melissa Gibbons Kusiak. She will be missed by all those she loved so much.
Burial services are at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, Thursday February 8th at 11 a.m. The family prefers memorial contributions be made to the Turner Syndrome Society: http://www. turnersyndrome.org/