The Rev. Dr. M. McCoy Gibbs (Mac) passed away on July 21, 2021 in his 101st year.
He was born on January 18, 1921, in Trussville, Alabama, to the Rev. John McCoy Gibbs and Elsie Elizabeth Beasley. He was educated at Birmingham Southern College and Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. He received honorary doctoral degrees from Florida Southern College and Bethune-Cookman University. Mac was ordained as an elder in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist church in 1945. He retired from full time ministry in 1989. In his career in the Florida Conference he served as pastor of seven churches across the state, including Morrison UMC in Leesburg in the mid-1960’s. After his retirement he and his wife Betty retired in Leesburg and he went back to work at Morrison UMC as the part-time minister of pastoral care and visitation. He continued in that job until 2018 and still holds the position of Pastor Emeritus.
Dr. Gibbs served in many leadership positions in the Florida United Methodist Conference and in the denomination. He was a District Superintendent in three different districts in Florida, and also served as the Conference’s Program Council Director. He was elected to four General and Jurisdictional Conferences of the church, serving on the Board of Global Ministries and the General Council on Ministries for the denomination. He served for 26 years on the Board of Trustees of Bethune-Cookman University, an institution he loved and actively supported.
Dr. Gibbs was always active in the communities in which he lived. In Leesburg he was instrumental in starting the Opportunity Shop, the thrift store of Morrison UMC, which supports many mission projects and other ministries. Over the years more than 1 million dollars has been donated from the proceeds of the Op Shop to help those in need across the nation and the world.
Dr. Gibbs was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, his beloved Betty, and a foster son Roy (Sue) Snyder. He is survived by his loving partner, Suzanne Jones, a son, Robert (Brenda) Gibbs, a daughter Jane (Michael) Bouda, four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life for Dr. Gibbs will be held at Morrison United Methodist Church, Leesburg, on Thursday, July 29. Family and friends will gather at 10:00 am in the Family Life Center (Bldg 3) and the service will be at 11:00 am in the Sanctuary. Arrangements are being made by Beyers Funeral Home, Leesburg. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the McCoy Gibbs, Bethune-Cookman Scholarship Fund at Morrison UMC.
