Donna Gibson
June 2, 1940 – April 13, 2025
Donna Gibson, born in Omaha, Nebraska on June 2, 1940, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home on April 13, 2025, in Hazel Green, Alabama, surrounded by the love and care of her family. She was 84 years old.
Donna was a beloved and devoted daughter, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Dorothy Decker; her son, Kevin Helmts; and her former husbands, Norman Helmts and Bruce Atkinson.
She is survived by her loving brother Ronald Decker and sister-in-law Karen Baier; her daughter Christina “Yiska” Berry (Richard “Zev”); grandchildren Richard Berry III (Hannah), April Jones (Matthew), Rochelle Berry, Nicole Helmts, and Benjamin Helmts (Megan); and great-grandchildren Richard IV, Christopher, Lorelie, Riley, Alliya, David, Jensen, and Samuel. She also leaves behind cherished nieces and nephews, extended family members, and many dear friends whose lives she touched.
She was a student at Omaha North High School. Donna married Norman Helmts and faithfully supported his Air Force career, moving across the country before settling in Fresno, California, where her parents had relocated. She pursued studies in psychology at Fresno City College while raising their two children. Donna worked as a dietary provider at a nursing home and later as a special education teacher’s aide. She then trained in apartment management, living in Lake Tahoe, Nevada for a time before returning to Fresno to help manage family-owned apartments where she married Bruce Atkinson.
After the passing of her parents, she married Granville Kenneth Gibson and relocated to West Virginia. Donna worked in apartment cleaning until her retirement. She was a founding member of the Pocahontas County Art Guild, where her creativity shone through her award-winning paintings. Donna also volunteered with great joy at the Marlinton Senior Center.
She loved singing, playing the piano and guitar, wrote several original songs, and played for church in every community she lived in. Music was one of her lifelong joys and expressions of faith.
For the past 20 years, Donna made her home in Hazel Green, Alabama, where she continued to share her love and talents. She assisted in homeschooling her grandchildren, supported the family’s farm, continued to play piano, and remained an active painter. Her passion for animals, children, music, and art left a legacy of love, creativity, and compassion.
Donna Gibson will be deeply missed and forever remembered for her generous spirit, artistic soul, and unwavering dedication to family and community.
Friends and family are welcome to visit the family home in Hazel Green, Alabama, as they feel led to offer their love, memories, and presence during this time of remembrance. Please contact them for the best time.
In lieu of flowers or cards, please donate to Nechama Spiritual Center, 2812 Charity Lane, Hazel Green, AL 35750 or donate here:
https://donate.stripe.com/aEUdRT1yT3Ep9RS9AB