Obituary of Robert G. Gibbs

Robert Gale Gibbs, age 88, recently of Strawberry Point Lutheran Home, formerly of Iowa City & Des Moines, died peacefully on Thursday March 18, 2004 of complications related to Alzheimer’s Disease. Funeral services will be held at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at the First United Methodist Church in Des Moines, with the Reverend Susan Bowman officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. Tuesday until services at the church. A reception will follow the services at the church and everyone is welcome. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 24, 2004 with military honors at the Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City. Following the services at the cemetery everyone is invited to the home of Ann and Drew Bossen at 4191 Westcott Drive N.E., Iowa City. Memorial donations can be made to the Iowa Pharmacy Foundation or First United Methodist Church Building Fund. Online condolences may be sent for Robert’s family through our website @www.gayandciha.com. Robert was born January 5, 1916, in Ottumwa, Iowa, the twin son of Harrison and Jessie (Sincoe) Gibbs. When he was young his family moved to Iowa City where he graduated from Iowa City City High School in 1936 as one of the first graduating classes, and later from the University of Iowa in 1940 with a degree in Pharmacy. On June 28, 1942 he married Pauline (Polly) Anderson on her parent’s farm in Gowrie, Iowa. Shortly after their wedding, Robert was called to duty in the U.S. Navy as a pharmacy mate serving in the South Pacific. Gibbs served his country in U.S. Navy Reserves Unit 957 from 1946-1951. After returning from the war, Gibbs owned and operated Gibbs Drug. While in the Iowa City Coralville area, Gibbs served in various community and professional capacities, including the Coralville City Council during the term where curbs and gutters were installed in the town. He was a member of and served as president of the Iowa Pharmacy Association, and belonged to First United Methodist Church. The couple lived in Iowa City after the war until moving to Des Moines in 1958 where he became executive director for the Iowa Pharmacy Association. Together with Polly in 2001 they moved back to Iowa City to be closer to their family in eastern Iowa. Gibbs was a state and nationally recognized leader in the pharmacy profession, was active in a variety of professional organizations during his career in pharmacy. At the state level, Gibbs served as president (1957) and Executive Director (1959-1980) of the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA). Editor of the Iowa Pharmacist Journal (1959-1980), and founding Director and Executive Secretary of the Iowa Pharmacy Foundation. At the national level, Gibbs served as Vice Chairman of the House of Delegates, first Vice President and Presidential candidate of the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA). He was a twenty-one year member of the National Council of State Pharmacy Association Executives and served as that organization’s president in 1963. Gibbs also served on Advisory Boards for the National Community Pharmacists Association, the State Pharmaceutical Editors Association and the National Pharmaceutical Council. Gibbs was the recipient of numerous professional awards including Iowa Pharmacist of the Year in 1957, the Iowa Pharmacists Association’s Special Appreciation Award, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumnus and the Robert Gibbs Distinguished Pharmacist Award (the highest award in Iowa pharmacy, created in his name). Gibbs’ 22 year tenure as chief executive officer of IPA includes an impressive array of achievements. Most notably, Gibbs was instrumental in the creation of the Iowa Pharmacy Service Corporation (a state based prescription drug insurance program), the launch of the state’s Medicaid prescription program, the passage of Iowa’s generic drug product selection law, the establishment of the Iowa Pharmacy Foundation Student Scholarship Program, and the creation of the Douglass Pharmacy Museum at the Iowa State Fair. Gibbs also had a deep commitment and record of service to civic organizations. He was appointed by Governor Robert Ray to be Chairperson of the Healthcare Utilization Task Force. Gibbs was a member and past president of the Board of Directors of the Wesley Retirement Foundation, Wesley Acres House Council member. He served as a member and board member of the Iowa Health Council, the Medical Advisory Council, the Iowa Mental Health Association, and Hospice of Central Iowa, and was active in the First United Methodist Church of Des Moines. He is survived by sons, Robert H. Gibbs and his wife, Heather Houston of Seattle, WA, and J. David and his wife, Mia Gibbs of Manchester, IA; daughters, Susan E.Gibbs and her husband, Bob Barnes of Seattle, and Ann L. Bossen and her husband, Drew Bossen of Iowa City; ten grandchildren, Camila, Reed, Todd, Amy, Sarah, Alexa, Nikki, Jesse, Katie, and Doug; one great-grandson, Ian; sister in law, Margaret Gibbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Polly, his parents, twin grandsons, Christopher and Alexander, his brother, Richard E. Gibbs, his sister Gretchen and her husband Merton Spicer. Robert enjoyed watching sports, especially the Iowa Hawkeyes, playing golf with friends and bowling on leagues in Des Moines and Coralville, but most important in his life was the love he had for his family and they for him. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service of Iowa City (1-866-338-1132) is caring for Bob’s services and his family.