Mrs. Johnnye Keyes Gibbs received her wings and went home to be with the Lord on Friday, September 23, 2016 at 10:49 a.m. in Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Indiana. Johnnye, was born in Grenada, Mississippi. To the union of George Sr. and Martha Keyes who both preceded her in death.

 

Johnnye received her education in the Mississippi School System, later attending Campbell College now known as Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. Johnnye accepted Christ at an early age in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She later joined the Salvation Army Corp in the 60’s and was the Corp Sergeant Major holding that position for 39 years. She remained faithful with the Corp until she was promoted to Glory.

 

Johnnye had many passions and one that was very close to her heart was the South Bend/Regional Head Start Program where she served for 35 years until she retired on August 4, 2000. She served as a member of the National Head Start Association Board for many years and she also was past Treasurer and Board Member for the Region V Head Start Association Board as well as the Board for the Indiana State Head Start Association. She was instrumental in bringing the Region V Head Start Association conference with over 1,000 attendees to her hometown of South Bend Indiana.

 

After retiring from The South Bend/Elkhart Head Start Program she continued to serve children and families as a consultant for Dayna Corporation by providing guidance to Head Start programs on compliance and operational issues across the United States. She loved helping people and spreading joy and love to everyone she encountered. She was truly a people’s person. She was a Phenomenal Woman, and she passed that torch to her children and grandchildren. Johnnye was very active in the South Bend Community serving on numerous boards that made a difference in thousands of lives and families. She was often referred to as Mama, Ma Me, Mama G, Momma, Johnnye or Mrs. Gibbs by her children and the community.

 

Johnnye, was the biological mother of 10 children and boasted proudly of each and every one of them. She leaves eight of those children to cherish her memories: George L. (Jeanne) Davis Sr., South Bend Indiana, Patricia L. Liddell, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Marsha Liddell Dennis, Atlanta, Georgia, Adam C, (Robin) Gibbs, Charlotte, North Carolina, Donald J. (April) Gibbs, South Bend, Indiana, Idonnia R. Gibbs-(Bruce) Anderson, Columbus, Mississippi, John F. (Ava) Gibbs, Houston, Texas, Martha A. Gibbs-(Tracy) Taylor, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

 

Her greatest blessings called her Grandma, Granny, Grandma Gibbs and Grandma Johnnye. She was the grandmother of 25 children; and the great grandmother of 25. She also leaves behind one special non-biological daughter, Lula Malone of South Bend, Indiana; along with a very special life-long friend, Mrs. Ruthie Mae Bass, Orlando, Florida; and a host of other family and friends that she met during her life’s journey.

 

Johnnye was preceded in death by her parents, George Sr. and Martha Keyes, her husband, Joseph Gibbs; brother, George L. Keyes; two sons: Jerry F. Keyes and Samuel Moses Liddell; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.