Milburn David Gibbs

Milburn David Gibbs of Siler City, (76) passed away at The Laurels of Chatham in Pittsboro, North Carolina, on Monday, May 9, 2016, with his wife and two daughters by his side. He was preceded in death by his parents, John McCumber Gibbs Jr., and Helen McManus Gibbs, half brother John D. Gibbs, and stepson, Jeffrey David Allen. He is survived by his wife, Lala Cox Allen Gibbs; two daughters, Rozanna Gibbs Elsenpeter and husband, Jeffrey Elsenpeter; Raoqi Gibbs Dulman and husband, Stanislav Dulman; three grandsons, Hunter Elsenpeter, Grant Elsenpeter, and Trent Elsenpeter, and one step-daughter, Melyssa Allen. Two sisters, Carolyn Gibbs Sego and husband, Al Sego, Brenda Gibbs Turner and husband, Arvelle (A. T.) Turner;and half-sister, Jollen Gibbs Sprowls. Milburn graduated from Chapel Hill High School and UNC Chapel Hill with a major in History, He served in the United States Army for two years. He was Vice-President of Gibbs Enterprise, Inc., a wholesale bakery business in California for 36 years. He wrote part time for the Long Beach Press-Telegram. After retiring from the bakery business, Milburn returned to North Carolina. He worked as a reporter for The Chatham News and he later became the editor of The Liberty News until it closed. Writing was his passion. He also found great pleasure in serving as Santa's assistant. He was the happiest writing human interest stories about an ordinary person. He called making that person "King or Queen for a Week" until the paper came out the following week and someone else was crowned. He loved doing stories on the N. C. Arts Incubator and the artists. He was honored with several press awards from the N. C. Press Association for the most humorous column and many awards from the N. C. Society of Historians. He also published the book The Staley School. Milburn never turned down the opportunity for a story. He was a true southern gentleman, making lasting friends wherever he went. As his health began to fail over the last few years, so many people have come to him and told him how he had impacted their lives some even saying he had changed their life in a positive way. Milburn always wore a smile. He was a vey giving person, who is, even after death, still giving and trying to help others. He donated his body to the UNC School of Medicine for medical research. There will be a "Celebration of Life" starting at 11:00 A.M., on Friday, June 17th at the West Chatham Senior Center, 112 Village Lake Road, Siler City, North Carolina. The service will be conducted by the Reverend Bob Wachs and Dr. Ron Wachs. Anyone who wishes to say a few words about something you remember about Milburn will be invited to speak or to write something. After the service everyone is invited to his home for refreshments, fellowship and visitation with family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family request that a donation be made to the Jay Spence Scholarship Fund, Triangle Community Foundation, 324 Blackwell Street, Suite 1220, Durham, North Carolina 27701.