Ronald Edward Gibbs

Ronald Edward Gibbs passed away on Friday, February 9, 2024, at Kaiser Hospital in the city of Downey, California from complications of Parkinson’s Disease.

Ronald was born on August 28, 1941, in Los Angeles, California, at LA County General Hospital, to Gwendolyn Brantley and Raymond E. Gibbs. He grew up in the Aliso Village housing projects in South Central LA from 1942 to 1948. As time went on, he and his family moved into a duplex apartment that their grandmother had built. His mother married Archie Grant from the state of Texas, a fight trainer who would then become Ronald’s stepfather. Archie built the family’s first home on Hill view Place in the same general area.

Ronald graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School, he then entered into the United States Air Force from 1960 to 1964, and was stationed at Carswell Air force Base, in Fort Worth, Texas. He was a master mechanic of the supersonic nuclear bomber of the day, the B-58 Hustler. It was the first operational supersonic nuclear bomber, 2 times faster than the speed of sound. It was an aerial masterpiece, and it was operational in those moments of great tension between the U.S and Russia & it’s allies who also brandished nuclear weapons during days of the 1950s early 60s.

Ronald married Joyce Marie Seals, on May 9th, 1970, and he worked as a janitor with his mom who owned a cleaning business. Later he became a vending machine mechanic , and then a warehouseman, until he retired in the early 2000s for health reasons. He loved to read, watch television, developed a love for art, health, and science. He enjoyed working on cars, and he loved to listen to music and share stories with the people he met. Ronald established many friendships during his illness with his doctors and nurses at Kaiser Hospital, and caregivers, including his primary caregivers Bob and Patrice.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce, two sons David (Anita) of Fontana California, Brian (Amanda) of Santa Fe Springs California, three grandchildren, Ileia, Sanai, and Adriel, two step-grandchildren, two great-step-grandchildren, one sister, Cynthia Dennis of Phoenix, Arizona and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, as well as his neighbors.

He was preceded in death by his mother Gwendolyn, stepfather Archie, biological father, Raymond, brother Larry, sister Andrea, and many stepbrothers, aunts, and uncles.

He will be greatly missed by his family friends and loved ones.