Bernice L. Gibbs

Berniece Lott Gibbs was born April 30, 1938 in Geiger, Alabama to Ernest and Estella Lott with one older sister Jessie Lott, living their early years riding bikes in the south with family members and going to church. Looking for better opportunities with family members moving to the Midwest and East, Estella Lott moved her children, Jessie and Berniece to Chicago. 

Now a part of the historic great migration now on the Southside of Chicago in an area called Bronzeville. The family mixed in well, Bernice and Jessie graduating top of their classes from Wendell Phillips high school. Berniece was great at math plus reading decades of her life education was her meaning. Berniece was office staff Downtown Main Library, where she met her friends: Verona Dobson and
Claudia Howard; they worked together for many years at the library until Berniece got an opportunity to join the Board of Education for Chicago. Berniece worked at many schools throughout the Chicago area. She finally received her dream, to retire from one school, that school was Beasley Academic Center on Chicago*s south side. She was present from the first class day in the 1983, until her retirement in 1999.  Mrs. Macklemore and Mr. Green were her top co-workers and friends at Beasley; they kept in contact long after her retirement. Berniece retired with honors from the Chicago Board of Education. Shirley Cutright, Eldoris Tucker and Lena Sharp were some of her closest friends.  

Berniece loved to skate, dance and make people laugh; she loved to have a smile on her face and to make others have a smile on their faces. Bernice was always helpful and willing to give her last to help someone; values she passed down to her son, the concern and ability to help those in need. She belonged to many community and professional organizations; she gave to many charities monthly. 

During retirement Berniece and her husband Phillip Sr. would take drives out to the country as they call it in Kankakee, to see the horses. Bernice loved horses and my parents would go to the skating rink to watch as they would say see they young people getting down. 

Around the house, Berniece was always busy, planting flowers and doing some type of painting or home improvements; she was always great at saving items and money. Berniece favorite TV shows were The Jefferson*s and later in life she loved to watch Martin, Everybody Hates Chris and her Judge Mathis. She would mix these TV shows in her daily line up with the gospel music channel; where she would spend hours a day or night just listening to the music.
*
After a decade of retirement my father Mr. Gibbs passed at the age of 80. Berniece was clearly hurt for years but kept going focusing on now her child, Phil John, but she was in much sorrow. She still tried to dance and sing, she still tried to make people laugh regardless if she was sad at the lost of her husband. After a year of several medical situations she passed to be with her husband, nine years apart! 
*
Berniece leaves a beautiful loving big sister Jessie Holloman; a loving son, Phillip J. Gibbs; a loving grandson, Hunter Frazier and thousands of loved ones including family members and community friends, neighbors etc. 

She lived a great life and I'm grateful to be a part of that. May she forever smile, SING AND DANCE. 
_______
Professional Services entrusted to In Touch Funeral and Cremation Services, LLC

"Providing a Personal Touch to Lasting Memories"
www.intouchfunerals.com
Business: (708) 299-6217

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bernice L. Gibbs, please visit our floral store.