Connie Gibbs

Connie Elaine Fahy Gibbs Obituary

Connie Elaine Fahy Gibbs, 72, passed away peacefully on August 11, 2026. She was born in Muscatine, Iowa, and moved with her family to San Antonio, Texas, as a little girl of three.

Connie's story with her husband, Brian, began on December 31, 1977, at a New Year's Retreat at Camp Letts in Maryland. After crossing paths a few more times over the next couple of years, their life together officially began in the spring of 1979. They were married in Rome City, Indiana, on May 13, 1980, and went on to share 46 years of marriage, building a life centered on family, faith, learning, and service to others.

Connie and Brian were blessed with two children. Their son, Joshua, was born in June 1981 while the family was stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Their daughter, Esther, was born in September 1984 while they were stationed at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Joshua and his wife, Paula, later blessed Connie with two granddaughters, Camilla and Beatrice.

Family was Connie's constant thought and the greatest joy of her life. She had a heart for children, especially her own, and prayed for them and her grandchildren every day. She had a beautiful servant’s heart and a deep desire to bless others. Over the years, she used her talents in cooking and baking to take care of countless people. She volunteered at a Salvation Army food line, not only serving, but also preparing additional food to bring with her. While living in Port Angeles, Washington, she became involved with a shelter for runaway and homeless teenagers, making lunch for them every Thursday. The young people loved her lunches, but more importantly, Connie loved having the opportunity to care for them. In her younger years, she worked countless hours making wedding cakes and arranging wedding receptions for young couples in the church. Her heart for caring for others never faded.

Her grandchildren were a particular source of joy. Connie loved being with Camilla and Beatrice and teaching them things she believed would be useful throughout their lives. One summer she taught them how to build a brick oven in case the power ever went out, which the girls assembled several times so they would understand exactly how it was constructed. Then came the real test: they baked Poppin' Fresh cinnamon rolls in it—and it worked!

Another summer, Connie gave Camilla and Beatrice a two-week cooking class. The final “examination” required the girls to prepare a four-course meal for their parents and grandparents. They passed with flying colors, and Connie and the girls considered the whole experience a great success.

Connie shared a particularly special bond with her daughter, Esther. They thought alike in many, many ways, and their connection was profoundly impactful for both of them. Moving away from Virginia in 2024, where Esther lived, was very difficult for Connie because of the closeness they shared.

Connie was a lifelong learner. She was curious about the world and enjoyed understanding how things worked and why. She was intensely invested in understanding her own medical condition, Autosomal Polycystic Kidney Disease. She spent countless hours researching and consulting medical resources, carefully following her bloodwork and comparing her lab results with what she learned and experienced. Her curiosity and determination gave her a remarkable desire to understand her own journey and to remain as informed and independent as possible.

In her later years, living in Virginia, Connie discovered the pleasure of walking outdoors. During these walks, she became particularly attached to a tree near her home. The tree leaned in a way that suggested it had endured tremendous hardship and damage at some point in its life. Connie saw something special in it, calling it “my tree” and drawing strength from its perseverance. Close by, there was also a large field she loved, filled with wildflowers and untamed growth. She spoke of its expanse and the way it looked when the wind blew through the greenery. She would walk to it and stop simply to be with it.
When she left Virginia, she could not leave her tree completely behind. She captured a unique photograph of it that she framed and borrowed a few small twigs and branches to keep with her. One of her final wishes was for some of her hair to be placed around and near her tree, allowing a small part of her to return to a place that had become so special to her heart.

Connie was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Marilyn Fahy, and her sister, Carrie.
She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Brian Gibbs; her son, Joshua Gibbs, and his wife, Paula; her daughter, Esther, and her husband, Alex Mernin; her beloved granddaughters, Camilla and Beatrice Gibbs; her sister, Jeanne (Fahy) Heinsohn, and other family members and friends who loved her dearly.

Connie's life was defined by the friends and family she loved, the children she prayed for, those she served, and the things she was passionate about understanding.

She was a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, teacher, servant, and friend.

Most of all, she was deeply loved.

And she will be deeply missed.