December 22, 1951 – November 16, 2022
It is with great sadness we announce that on November 16, 2022, Sandra Margaret Gibbon lost her battle with cancer at the age of 70.
Sandra wore many hats in her lifetime. She began working in the healthcare industry, following in her mother’s footsteps. After working at the Michener Centre in Red Deer, assisting people with disabilities, she trained at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. She started her nursing career in her hometown of Innisfail, and with her new family, she later moved to the Pine Lake area and continued working as a nurse at the Elnora hospital. When the hospital closed in 1995, Sandra took the opportunity to pursue other passions.
Always willing to work hard and try new things, she then worked as an apprentice electrician. She also obtained her Greens Certificate through Olds College to support her love of farming. She enjoyed farming whether it was working for others or on her own acreage where she kept sheep, horses, pigs, ducks, chickens, goats, a jersey cow or two, and family pets. Her love of animals was evident in her hobbies as well. She loved horses in particular, and in her youth and young adulthood, she attended horse shows and volunteered with the Pony Club in Red Deer.
She was also a school bus driver for the children of Elnora. Later, she drove for Innisfail and numerous schools in Calgary. She was also quite the handywoman. If she needed a fence or barn built, or needed to fix something, she was knowledgeable, resourceful, and determined enough to do it herself and she also enjoyed projects with her family and neighbours.
Sandra was also very creative. She was a skilled artist in wood carvings, drawing, painting, and etching on glass. Some of her glass etching can be found on the glass panes between booths at the Mountain View restaurant in Innisfail.
Sandra leaves behind her two children, Aaron (Kathryn), and Jo (Kent); their big sister Jackie; grandsons James, Nash, and Kane; brothers George and Brian (Lorna); sister Helen (Dave), and many cousins, in-laws, nieces, and nephews that she cherished, as well as some very dear friends. She was predeceased by her parents Herb and Marion
Gibbon, and brothers Jim (Eileen), Bob, and Ross (Karen).
An event to share stories and celebrate Sandra’s life is being planned for spring/summer 2023.
Donations in Sandra’s memory can be made to The Salvation Army Agapé Hospice: 1302 8th Avenue NW Calgary, AB T2N 1B8 (http://agapehospice.ca/funding-donations/). Photos, memories and condolences may be shared with Sandra’s family through www.evanjstrong.com.
