Hammond Pete Gibson Jr.

Published in The State on May 21, 2010

LUGOFF - Funeral service for Hammond Pete Gibson Jr., 74, will be held Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Pine Grove Baptist Church with burial to follow in the church cemetery. The Rev. Douglas Whitfield and the Rev. Tommy Swilley will officiate.

Pallbearers will be Phillip Gibson, Ron Blair, Wesley Reynolds, Andy Drafts, Jeff Frye and Chandler Blair. The family will receive friends Friday 6-8 p.m. at Powers Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Pine Grove Baptist Church, 836 Pine Grove Road, Lugoff, SC 29078.

Mr. Gibson died Wednesday, May 19, 2010. Born in Norway, he was a son of the late Hammond Pete Gibson Sr. and Mary Ellen Phillips 'Mitt' Gibson. He was predeceased by a brother, John Wesley Gibson, and sister, Margie Ellen Minter.

Mr. Gibson played for the Sumter Gamecocks in 1953 and pitched a no-hitter in Riley Park, the first in 25 years. After finishing high school, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds and later went to Douglas, Ga., and pitched for the Douglas Trojans for one year.

While serving in the United States Army, he pitched for the Army while stationed in France. He retired as a supervisor from Diamont Boart Construction Products, that later became Husqvarna. He enjoyed gardening and playing golf, but, most of all, spending time with his grandchildren.

Surviving are his wife of 15 years, Linda Bell Gibson; children, Marie (Jeff) Frye of Lexington, Laura (Andy) Drafts of Lexington, Brad (Sherry) Gibson of Lexington, Wendy (Ron) Blair of Lugoff, Mechelle (Jimmy) Spradley of Lugoff, and Melody Thomas of Lugoff; brother, William Joseph Gibson of Orangeburg; grandchildren, Sara Lynn Gibson, Rebecca Gibson, Chelsea Frye, Wesley Reynolds, Brianna Drafts, Alli Frye, Gavin Spradley, Thomas Spradley, Casey Blair, Jordan Blair, Chandler Blair and Logan Blair; and special sister-in-law, Margo Gibson of Thorsby, Ala.