Obituary of Richard Michael Gibson

Richard Michael "Dick" Gibson passed through this life on Monday, July 24, 2023. He was 81. His wife and children were with him on his final journey.

 

Dick was born in Miami, Florida on May 11, 1942, to Richard Timothy and Doris Louise Gibson (Huffman). He was raised in El Cajon, California, and graduated from Grossmont High School. As a young man he developed his love for the great outdoors with frequent hiking adventures in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Dick remained in California to attend San Jose State University and earned his BA and MA in history in 1965 and 1966, respectively. Dick made long-lasting friendships on the San Jose State Judo team, coached by Yoshihiro Uchida. While attending classes together, he met the love of his life and future wife of 57 years, Patricia Kiyoko (Yuoka). Dick and Pat married in Palos Verdes, California on April 9, 1966.

 

Dick was a devoted civil servant. He served in Vietnam on board the USS Henry W. Tucker and later taught at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. He served as a career Foreign Service Officer for the US State Department. Dick's posts included Martinique, Burma, Thailand, Okinawa, and Japan. From his work with Vietnamese refugees to remote hill tribe villages in Thailand, Dick's dedication and selfless determination demonstrated the importance of service and helping others to his children.

 

After retiring from the State Department, Dick continued to work in Washington as an East Asian specialist for Drug Strategies. His work with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the US Agency for International Development took him to Croatia.

Never one to fully embrace retirement, Dick wrote The Secret Army: Chiang Kai-Shek and the Drug Warlords of the Golden Triangle, published by John Wiley & Sons (Asia) Ltd.

 

Dick is survived by his wife Patricia, son Brendon (Rica), daughter Erin Gilmore (Gregory), and grandchildren Kai, Noa, and Tia Gibson. He is also survived by his sister, Patricia Roby, of Oklahoma.

 

A celebration of life will take place on a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please donate to the Japanese American National Museum of Los Angeles or the Sierra Club in Richard's name.