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Salesian Cooperator
Anne Conway Gibbs was born
in Scottdale, Pennsylvania on
November 1, 1921. She was the
fourth of five siblings raised
by James and Mary Conway.
Her Catholic faith was always
a strong driving force in her
life. In elementary school, the
depression hit her family and
community very hard. At a
young age, she began teaching
religious education in a deprived
part of town following the
closure of the Catholic schools.
At 21, she enlisted in the Coast
Guard. While serving in the
Coast Guard for three years,
she met her future husband,
Richard Gibbs, originally from
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
After they were both discharged
from the Coast Guard, they
married on June 13, 1946 in
Scottdale, PA. They settled in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin and on
May 6, 1947 had their first child,
Mary Anne. They relocated to
Bellflower, California in 1953 in
hopes of finding more stable
employment for Richard and to
be closer to her sister Margaret.
After relocating, she worked for
the telephone company for two
years. On November 1, 1957 they
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had their second child, Alice
Marie.
In 1955 Anne began work as
a bookkeeper for Don Bosco
Technical Institute in Rosemead,
being among the first employees
when the school opened. She
served there for 31 years, and
in “retirement” worked as a
bookkeeper for three more
years at her parish, St. Dominic
Savio, and then part time for the
Salesian Community.
Being part of the St. Dominic
Savio parish and serving as
a Salesian Cooperator were
integral parts of Ann’s life. In
fact, she was very involved in
the beginnings of St. Dominic
Savio, where she helped to start
the parish CCD program before
the FMA arrived. She also put
together a library of religious
books for the parishioners, with
sections for adults and children,
and a religious goods shop in
the Parish Hall after Sunday
masses. Fr. Joe Boenzi recounts,
“It was in the Hall that I first got
to know Anne Gibbs when I was
9 years old. I used to get books
from the library and read them
during the period after Sunday
mass when my parents were
socializing with people. In those
days I would have little chats
with “Mrs. Gibbs” about church,
mass, good books: she always
had good suggestions for me in
that area.”
Ann helped form the first St.
Dominic Savio Parish Council
and served as its President.
Her many means of service in
the parish included serving as
Coordinator and President of the
Women’s Council, Coordinator
of “Renew,” Coordinator of RCIA
InTouch 6 4.5.12
and participation in Eucharistic
Ministry, Pre-Baptism Ministry
and Bereavement Ministry. Anne
enjoyed working at countless
fiestas at Savio. She was also
very active in the Inter-Faith
celebrations in Bellflower.
She was very active with
ACCW serving as her parish
representative, 2nd Vice
President and twice served as
President of the Southeastern
District of ACCW. She was
also President of the Savio
unit of Cooperators, and the
Province Coordinator for all
the Cooperators in the Salesian
Western Province from 1997-
2003. In 1984 Ann Gibbs was one
of the key players in reviving
the practice of the Province Day,
using the format of the Religious
Education Congress for the
gathering, and involving all
members of the Salesian Family.
In 1993 Anne was honored by
Pope John Paul II with the Pro
Ecclesia et Pontifice award.
In 2008, Anne moved to
Washington State where both
her daughters reside. She
lived with Mary Anne and
her husband Bob in Medical
Lake, WA and was able to
make frequent visits to see her
daughter Alice and her husband
Joe and boys in Covington,
WA. She enjoyed being close
to her daughters and their
husbands, grandchildren and
great grandchildren. At age
90, Anne died peacefully on
March 12, 2012 with both of
her daughters at her bedside.
Surviving relatives include her
brother Joe, daughter Mary
Anne and husband Bob and
their 3 daughters, her daughter
Alice and husband Joe and their
4 children as well as two great
grandchildren.
