Fr. Bruno Gibson, OP

November 7, 1931 - March 11, 2024

Fr. Bruno Gibson, a Dominican friar of the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, died peacefully on March 11, 2024. He was born Rodney Gibson in San Francisco on November 7, 1931, to Mary and Frank Gibson (deceased). He is the brother of Frank (Barbara, deceased) Gibson, Gael (John, deceased) Davitt, and Happy Kramer; loving “Uncle Brunie” to Terry Davitt, Laure (Jim) Healy, Vincent (Monica) Davitt, Michael (Alison) Davitt, Patrick Gibson, Jerry Gibson, Tad Gibson, Sean Kramer, Brien (Sarah) Kramer, Kevin (Chrissy) Kramer, Colin Kramer (deceased), Karin (Kevin) Haskell, and Eileen Kramer (deceased); and great-uncle to 19 nieces and nephews for whom he Celebrated countless weddings, confirmations, first communions, and baptisms.

Fr. Bruno graduated from St. James High School in 1949, and then from the University of San Francisco, with a post-graduate degree in Architecture from Stanford University in 1953. He entered the Western Dominican Province in August of 1953, and studied philosophy and theology in River Forest, Ill., and at the Priory of St. Albert the Great in Oakland. After ordination on June 10, 1960, he served as a campus minister at the University of Oregon, where he helped design a new campus ministry chapel. As pastor at St. Dominic’s Church in San Francisco from 1981-1985, his background in architecture was instrumental in adding the flying buttresses to St. Dominic’s church, which likely saved the structure during the 1989 earthquake. Up until a few months before his death, he faithfully served the parishioners at St. Mary Magdalen mission church, Bolinas.

Fr. Bruno had a great sensitivity to the beauty discovered in nature, music, and poetry. He also found beauty in the mysteries of faith, and he contemplated them and preached about them with enthusiastic joy. He read theology as if it were mystical poetry, speaking to his heart.

A vigil with rosary and vespers will be held at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 2390 Bush St., San Francisco, on Monday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at the same location March 19, at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Dominic’s cemetery in Benicia. A memorial fund has been established to honor Fr. Bruno. Gifts will support the education of Fr. Bruno’s Dominican brothers still in formation. Please donate online at www.opwest.org/ frbrunogibson