John F. Gibbs

John F. Gibbs, age 80, of Gays Mills, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at Lakeview Health Center in West Salem, WI. John was born on June 14, 1945 to Ryland and Edna (Radtke) Gibbs in Madison, WI, and lived most of his life in Wisconsin except for twenty years in California (1952-72).

John touched a lot of lives by teaching and mentoring students, and by being an outgoing community member. His many friends and loved ones will cherish the memories of time spent with John, and his absence will be deeply felt.

John spent his early childhood years in Gays Mills. In 1951, the Gibbs family moved to Orange County, California, eventually settling in Fullerton, CA. John attended Sunny Hills High School (1959-63), and his hobbies were small scale farming and surfing. (Sometime during HS he owned a Woody, his all-time favorite car.) He attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo earning a B.S. in Agribusiness Management and a Masters in Education. While in college he worked two summers on the ZX Ranch in Paisley, OR. It was the experience of a lifetime. He maintained friendships with several crew mates and managers, and visited the ranch a few times since. There were many stories about the ZX.

John was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, teacher, and friend. He married Sarah J. Hitzemann on August 3, 1968. (They met on a blind date set up by Ryland Gibbs.) John taught High School Agriculture at Ramona High School in Ramona, CA. In 1972, after their two children were born, the family moved to Brillion, WI. John taught at Brillion High School until 1974, and then worked for Brookside Agricultural Consulting until 1977. The connection to Gays Mills was maintained through numerous visits to John’s godmother, Leita Slayton. The ag teaching position at North Crawford High School became available in 1977, and he took the job. (Legend has it, John got the job without even interviewing.) He would teach agriculture, welding, farm mechanics, and advise the North Crawford Chapter of the FFA until 2003.

Mr. Gibbs enjoyed a lot of popularity among his students. He challenged them to think creatively and provided them with many unique experiences. He was also available whenever someone needed a sympathetic ear. He enjoyed taking students to judging contests and FFA conventions, doing farm visits, field trips, anything to jar things loose, silly pop quizzes, the Apple Box Derby, parade floats, taste tests, skits, the list goes on and on. John kept in touch with several friends and colleagues in the Vocational Ag field, and served a term as Vice President of the Wisconsin Association of Vocational Agriculture Instructors. He also formed lasting friendships with many North Crawford teachers.

After retiring in 2003, John began writing a weekly column in the Crawford County Independent and Kickapoo Scout, “Drift from a Driftless Place.” (Pearl Swiggum’s last column was 3/25/04, and John’s first was the very next week, 4/1/04.) This proved to be a good outlet for him; he continued the column until late 2025, spreading his influence beyond the confines of the Kickapoo Valley. He won numerous awards for his writing and delighted readers with his insights, observations, and the occasional pet peeve.

Somewhere along the way, John, together with a few other guys, started a men’s group known as the Renaissance Dudes. (Today they’re known as Ren Men or the “old guys group.”) The group continues to meet monthly over a meal and provides a chance for men to get together and talk, share stories, trade books, and try to stump each other with odd tools. The group is especially welcoming to newcomers, and the gatherings have helped establish a social network for the members.

John was known for his great sense of humor. He was an avid reader and library supporter. He loved cutting wood and building fires; it was spiritual for him. He loved music; Bob Wills, Ernest Tubb, Ray Price, and the Sons of the Pioneers were his favorites. He was a letter writer and kept a daily journal for many decades. He was in love with the romance of the American West. He ran a charcoal business: Kickapoo John’s Lump Charcoal (“Ask me about my lump”). He was in the stock market and checked his portfolio every day.

John was a very social person and enjoyed staying in touch with people he’d befriended throughout his life. He was a member of the Gays Mills Lions Club, volunteered for Second Harvest, and was a member of the Friends of the Gays Mills Public Library. He liked helping out wherever he could and that help often came in the form of advice. He enjoyed brainstorming and coming up with fresh ideas.

His favorite foods were rhubarb, watermelon, buttermilk, peanut butter and ice cream.

John is survived by his daughter, Rachel Sol (nee Gibbs) of Ashland, OR; son, David Gibbs of Gays Mills; grandson, Bodhi Sol of Eugene, OR; siblings, Bill (Pam) Gibbs of Arena, WI, and Martha (Jim) Catlin of Las Vegas, NV; and his longtime love, JoAnn Gonos of Gays Mills. His faithful dog Skip will continue to be cared for by David.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Sarah Gibbs; his brother, Dan Gibbs; and brother-in-law Rusty Jones.

A Celebration of Life is planned for Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. in the community room of the Gays Mills Community Commerce Center. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the North Crawford FFA or the North Crawford Community Education Foundation.

Vosseteig Funeral Home & Crematory is serving John's family.

325 Sunset Ridge Ave.

Gays Mills, WI 54631

608-735-2100