Isela Alicia Gibbs

Isela Alicia Gibbs, age 91, our beloved, beautiful mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend went to be with Jesus her Lord and Savior on Saturday, August 10, 2024, after a short battle with colon cancer.  

Isela (Issy) was born May 17, 1933, in El Paso, Texas to Thomas and Laura Swain. She graduated from El Paso High School in 1951 as an honor student and served her class as Secretary/Treasurer. She met her husband, Howard Gibbs, at Beaumont Army Hospital in El Paso, Texas, where she worked as a medical stenographer, and he was serving in the army. They were married in 1952 in Los Angeles and moved to Twin Falls, Idaho, where they lived and were blessed with 67 years of marriage until his death in 2020. They had 2 children: Roy Alan Gibbs and Linda Gibbs Meyer. For a short time in 1959 they moved to Los Angeles, California, where she worked as a medical secretary at the Los Angeles Health Center. When they came back to Twin Falls, she wanted to be home with their children until they were in school and opened up a knitting shop in their home called “The Knit & Purl.” She worked 8 years as a bookkeeper/secretary/receptionist at Armstrong – Wickham Co. (public accountants). She worked 12 years at Twin Falls Bank & Trust as a loan secretary and then as a loan officer. After that she became a realtor and worked at Coldwell Banker Western Realty, Sabala’s Realty and Magic Valley Realty.

She had an unbelievable gift of playing piano, and she always said she was honored to serve God with this gift to play in services for more than 60 years up until weeks before her death. She loved Jesus and she was a beautiful example in living her life for Him. She loved people and never met a stranger. She loved to knit and gave away many hats and afghans to those in need. Since a young age she loved to dance and to exercise, and she continued to walk at the mall and exercise at the Y and the senior center up until a few weeks before her death. She was a strong, independent woman, who never let grass grow under her feet. She loved to participate in community activities including the Thursday evening band concert in the summer at the city park. She was blessed to have the sweetest, kindest neighbors who loved her and always watched out for her. She was a member of First Southern Baptist Church where she played piano and was involved with their Women On Missions group. She was blessed and welcomed to either play piano or participate in evening services and ladies bible studies at many other churches including Rock Creek Community Church, Cornerstone and Eastside Baptist. Most of all, she loved and followed Jesus. She gave all honor and glory to God in her life and in her time and through her words. She loved her family deeply and she was our prayer warrior praying for us daily. Her hearts desire was for each one of us to love and follow Jesus. She was an amazing example for all of us to follow, and she will be deeply missed.

The family wishes to thank Hospice Visions for their care, love and concern in her last weeks in her daughter’s home.

Preceding her in death are her husband Howard, her parents, Tom and Laura Swain, and her sister, Grace Castillo del Muro. Survivors include her son, Alan Gibbs, Twin Falls, her daughter, Linda (Glenn) Meyer, Filer. She is survived by 2 grandchildren, Stacey (Corey) Beam, Filer, Brett (Jerica) Meyer, Filer, and great grandchildren, Chloe and Owenn Meyer and Zoe and Mattie Beam, all Filer.

A funeral service for Isela will be held on Monday, August 19, 2024, at 11:00 am at Wilks Magic Valley Funeral Home at 2551 Kimberly Road Twin Falls, Idaho 83301. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to “Women On Missions” at First Southern Baptist Church

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