Madelene Gibby 1915–2013
We attended her memorial service in the church where she had worshipped
for so long and enjoyed listening to delightful anecdotes by members of the
congregation, about her, including her love of hats. She had a huge collection
of all sizes and shapes, one for every occasion and, thinking about it, the few
times I met her I seem to remember she was wearing a bonnet …
The best thing I can do to celebrate her long life – being a member of the
WCM seems to encourage longevity! – is to reprint this article from 1994 by
Prescot Stephens, who knew her well.
Madelene Gibby – a profile
It was a day of mist, rain and wind when I went to see Madelene Gibby in her
flat. The high windows looked out over the urban coast-line of St Leonards
and to a turbulent sea beyond. Behind the rain-splashed windows there was
an ordered calm, for Madelene is that sort of person.
I happened to know that she was ‘approaching’ eighty; but there was
nothing elderly about her manner, her speech or her appearance. I reminded
myself that in her working life she had been nurse-receptionist/secretary to
a busy railway doctor in Brighton. Her job demanded a crisp business-like
approach combined with a concern for people. And I believe it was those very
qualities which had made her such a successful fund-raiser for the Walde