Sheldon Gibbons Sr.

Sheldon L. Gibbons Sr., 46, of Bayard, made his journey into the spirit world on Saturday, May 7, 2022.  A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Bayard with Pastor Larry Russel officiating.  Interment will follow at Bayard Cemetery. The services will be live-streamed and recorded to Sheldon’s obituary page viewable at www.reverencefuneralparlor.com. A memorial has been established at Western States Bank.

Sheldon was born October 31, 1975, in Gordon, Nebraska to Samuel and Gloria (Gibbons) Gonzalez.  He attended school at Bayard and Alliance, graduating from Alliance High School.

Sheldon became a proud father at age nineteen. He and his family moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1996 where he and his father managed a grocery store together.  The family returned to western Nebraska in 2008.  Sheldon began working at Trinidad and was later employed at Western Sugar.

He enjoyed working on cars and restoring them.  He meticulously cared for his own vehicles and kept busy with various mechanical projects.

Sheldon was truly “born” when he gave his heart to the Lord on December 17, 2017.  It was on this day that he committed himself to His Savior and a life of sobriety.  Sheldon was a mentor and devoted to helping others maintain sobriety and sent daily text messages of encouragement. He strived to be an example of Christ and it was through his faith and sobriety that he was led to create the Celebrate Recovery program in Bayard.

He was and will continue to be an inspiration to many, a true example of what Christ’s love is all about and a living, walking, epistle of the truths and power of our Lord’s word.  His life goal was to bring love, joy, kindness, peace, comfort, encouragement, inspiration, hope, SOBRIETY, and most importantly, Christ, into peoples’ lives.  As hard as it is for us to continue on without him, he would want us to live the same life.

The truth is, Sheldon had a hope he based his life on.  He had hope of a place where a Savior promised to wipe every tear. A place where there is no more pain and suffering. A place where death will never take us away from our loved ones.  He has arrived at his final destination with great joy.  He has gone on before us to await our arrival, to help give us a greeting of a true life in eternity, and to welcome us home with his heart-warming smile.  We love him and look forward to a life with him in eternity.

Survivors include his parents, Samuel and Gloria Gonzalez; children, Eleesha (Justin Garcia) Gibbons, Selena (Travis) Willhoite, Sheldon Gibbons Jr., Jaylon Gibbons, and Felicity Michael; grandchildren, Charles “Chunkles”, Elli, Isla “Lila”, Jameson “JJ”, Alexis “LexRay”, Davina, Octavia, Fantasa, Baby Joaquin, and another on the way; siblings, Corwin Gibbons, Samuel (Amanda) Gibbons Jr., Jolene (Bruce) Rankin, and Charles (Janelle Francia) Gonzalez; along with extended relatives and a multitude of friends.

Sheldon was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Julius R. and Patricia Gonzalez and Charles J. and Velma Gibbons; the love of his life, Misty Hirsch; daughter, Annette Marie; and niece, Morganne Belle.