Meaningful life lived – mourning Wendy Gibb

Wendy Gibb was adventurous – which she put to the test as arts and entertainment reporter for The Leader for the last 20 years. Among her favourite adventures was when the bi-plane flights were offered at the airport across from Upper Canada Village in June 2012. Retired colleague Bonnie McNairn photographed Wendy on this assignment, going up in the bi-plane. We, in the newsroom, thought this was a fitting final photo to go with this article. – Staff

MORRISBURG – Thursday, October 9, The Morrisburg Leader lost our popular arts and entertainment and weekend reporter Wendy Gibb.
Gibb died from A.L.S. complications. She was 74.

She joined The Morrisburg Leader staff, soon after retiring from a 32 year teaching career at Seaway District High School.

As a beloved teacher, especially of history and drama, Gibb was well-loved and respected by Seaway students and staff for decades.

Her abilities to bring history to life in front of students’ eyes, connect with students by recognizing their needs and abilities, build students’ confidence through theatre arts, and change lives, is being remembered through an outpouring of comments and memories being shared across social media.
During her years teaching drama she directed various productions featuring her students performing for the larger community. For 40 years Gibb pursued her love of theatre while giving back to the community by directing the popular bi-annual Iroquois-Matilda Lions Club plays, featuring club members as actors in various comedy productions and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity.

Gibb brought her infectious smile and unwavering positivity to the entire community when she joined The Leader in 2005.

Initially hired to cover weekend community events, Gibb’s role soon evolved to a place where she would continue to share her love and support of the local arts scene by providing robust coverage for the Upper Canada Playhouse, St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage, St. James Anglican Church – Apple Tree Ministry, Stone Crop Acres Harmony concerts at the winery, Tilted Steeple and more.

Gibb remained committed to the community until the end.

She chose to continue to craft the Blast from the Past history content until the end of September.

Gibb wrote her last entertainment piece about the St. Lawrence Stage and her last Gibberish column featuring her nemesis Puddin’, both published September 24, and beyond that was giving detailed instructions about what she expected us to do next for The Playhouse.

A memorial service will be held at St. James Anglican Church in Morrisburg, Friday October 17 at 11 a.m. with reception to follow at the Morrisburg Legion.