Charles Gibbs

The Reverend Charles E. Gibbs, Jr. went home to be with the Lord on December 22, 2018. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Cookeville, Tennessee, where he taught a co-educational senior adult Sunday school class. Prior to his retirement in 2010, he spent nearly 60 years in the Ministry, primarily as a pastor. Rev. Gibbs grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, and attended the Hampton-Dubose Academy in Zellwood, Florida, beginning his Christian education. He was called by God to the Gospel Ministry while still in high school, and was licensed to preach in 1952 by the Norwood Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. He then attended Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University) in Columbia, South Carolina, where he met the love of his life, Carol Jean Kennerly, his wife of 59 years. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Education in 1957, and then attended the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Charles and Carol were married in 1959, and attended Seminary together until Charles graduated in 1961 with an advanced degree in Divinity. He was ordained into the Gospel Ministry in 1961 by the Dawson Memorial Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama, and moved to his first church, Collinsville Baptist Church of Collinsville, Alabama, where he served as pastor from until 1966. He was very active in local activities as Chairman of Evangelism and the Director of the Samford University Extension Center for the Dekalb Baptist Association. He was then called as pastor by the First Baptist Church of Pratt City in Birmingham, Alabama. He served there from 1966 until 1970. During this time, the couple welcomed their first child, Charles Wayne, in 1968. In 1970, he joined pastors and other ministers in a trip around the world in conjunction with the Baptist World Alliance, visiting 12 different countries including the Holy Land. The Gibbs family then moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee after Rev. Gibbs was called as pastor by the Silverdale Baptist Church. He served this church for six years, during which time the family grew with the addition of a daughter, Joan Carol in 1971. In 1976, Donaldson View Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee called Rev. Gibbs as their pastor. During this time, he became a member of the board of Trustees for the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home. Charles and Carol also taught youth for three summers at the Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly Center in North Carolina. In 1978, he became pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jamestown, Tennessee. He was elected President of the interdenominational Fentress County Ministerial Association for three years. He also broadcasted an evening devotional called "Five Minutes with the Parson" each night on local radio in Jamestown. While pastor at Jamestown, he attended the Criswell School of Prophets in Dallas, Texas. He also served as a member of Sunday School Assist Team for the Riverside Baptist Association. In 1982, Rev. Gibbs and his family accepted a call from the North Athens Baptist Church of Athens, Tennessee. He was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home for 2 years (1982-1984), and was honored by the Board for outstanding leadership at the end of his tenure. The Trace Creek Baptist Church in New Johnsonville, Tennessee then called Rev. Gibbs to be their pastor in 1986. He was very active in the Truett Baptist Association, serving as Moderator for 3 years and Chairman of Evangelism for 2 years. From 1992-1997, he was a member of the Board of Trustees of Belmont University. Rev. Gibbs oversaw the building of a new educational space at Trace Creek Baptist, increasing the capacity for Sunday School and church fellowship greatly. Rev. Gibbs moved to his next church in 1995 when he became pastor of the First Baptist Church of Byrdstown, Tennessee. He continued his work with Belmont University and the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home. Returning to the Riverside Baptist Association, he served as Moderator and Sunday School Director for the Association from 1998-2000. In 1998, he participated in the Commencement Ceremonies at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. Charles retired from the First Baptist Church of Byrdstown in February of 2002, moving to his current home in Cookeville, Tennessee. He continued to preach consistently as a supply pastor throughout Middle Tennessee. In 2003, he was asked by Riverside Association to serve as the Interim Director of Missions; Carol also served as the Ministry Assistant. They continued in these positions until July of 2004. The Etter Baptist Church in Byrdstown asked him to supply quite frequently, and eventually called him as their interim pastor in 2005. When Etter called their current pastor in 2010, Rev. Gibbs retired a second time. Etter Baptist Church chose to honor him as Pastor Emeritus. He joined the First Baptist Church of Cookeville as a watch care member in June of 2011. He continued to serve as a supply preacher in many churches in the community. Rev. Charles E. Gibbs, Jr. will be remembered first as a devoted and loving husband and father, and also as a dedicated servant of Jesus. He lived his life as an unselfish example of faith, hope, and love, committed to sharing the Gospel as commanded by Christ in his Great Commission. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carol Jean Kennerly Gibbs, his son Charles Wayne Gibbs of Overland Park, Kansas, his daughter Joan Carol Gibbs Pritchard of Louisville, Kentucky, four grandchildren (Carol-Ann Gibbs, Mary-Olivia Gibbs, Caleb Maxson, and Charles-Frederick Gibbs), and his sisters Olivia Gibbs Redford and Dorothy Gibbs Sanders. The family will receive friends Thursday, December 27, 2018 from 4-7 pm at Hooper-Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home in Cookeville, Tennessee, and again from 10-11 am Friday, December 28, 2018 at the First Baptist Church of Cookeville, Tennessee. A Celebration of Life Service will follow at 11:00 am, with interment to follow at the Cookeville City Cemetery. Bro. Charlie Hutchinson, Rev. Mike Head, Rev. Eric Thoman and Rev. Scott McKinney will officiate. Pallbearers will be Ben Kern, Paul "Dink" Hargrave, Dr. Jeff Crosier, Bobby Moser, Roy Tudor and Chris Pritchard. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Operation Christmas Child, in care of First Baptist Church of Cookeville, Tennessee, or other participating churches.