OBITUARY: U.S. Navy Veteran Lt. Commander Dudley ‘Doug’ Gibson, 66, of Melbourne, Passed Away Dec. 4
By Space Coast Daily // December 31, 2021
Doug retired from Lockheed Martin after 32 years, then worked for AeroJet and NASA
During his Naval Reserve career, he was promoted to Aviation Electrician (E-6), then Commissioned as a Limited Duty Officer (Aviation) (O-1), and retired as a Lieutenant Commander (O-4) with a total of thirty-four years of service to his country.
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Dudley “Doug” Gibson, 66, of Melbourne, Florida, passed away on December 4, 2021. He was born on September 15, 1955, in Harlan, Kentucky to Evelyn (Delph) Gibson and Eugene Gibson.
Doug was married to Sandra Kaye Mize on April 22, 1978, in Seymour, Tennessee. They were married for 43 beautiful years and raised two wonderful sons, Brandon and Brad.
During their marriage, they moved about every three to four years and lived in several states including South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Maryland, California, Florida, and Washington.
Doug enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June of 1974 as an Aviation Striker (E-1) and served four years of active duty, most notably making three Mediterranean Cruises on the USS Saratoga. He left active duty in June of 1978 as an Aviation Electrician (E-5), joined the Naval Reserve, and continued his military career.
During his Naval Reserve career, he was promoted to Aviation Electrician (E-6), then Commissioned as a Limited Duty Officer (Aviation) (O-1), and retired as a Lieutenant Commander (O-4) with a total of 34 years of service to his country.
Doug retired from Lockheed Martin after 32 years, went to work the following week for AeroJet where he worked for five years. After a short “retirement” he was employed by NASA where he worked for four years. Doug considered his 41 years of aerospace experience as his crowning achievement.
Doug is survived by his wife, Sandra Kaye (Mize) Gibson of Melbourne, Florida; son, Brandon Mitchell Gibson and wife Eva Van Buren (Gibson), and their children, Henry Drake Gibson and Cora Lee Gibson of Purcellville, Virginia; son, Bradley Michael Gibson of Melbourne, Florida; mother, Evelyn (Delph) Gibson of McKee, Kentucky; brother, Roy Eugene Gibson of Flowery Branch, Georgia; sister, Eunice Gail (Gibson) Jones of Henderson, Nevada; sister, Leslie Carolyn (Gibson) Sparta of McKee, Kentucky; brother, Carl Alan Gibson of Folkston, Georgia; and a host of extended loving family members and friends.
Doug was preceded in death by his sister, Elaine Gibson in December 1958; and his father, Eugene Gibson in December 2016.
The family will receive friends from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 14 at Atchley Funeral Home, 122 Peacock Court, Seymour, Tennessee 37865, with the Funeral Service to follow at 6 p.m. in Atchley’s Seymour Chapel.
The Graveside Service and Interment will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, December 15 at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery located at 2200 East Governor John Sevier Highway, Knoxville Tennessee. Online condolences may be made at AtchleyFuneralHome.com.
A Celebration of Life for Doug will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 16, 2022, at The Tides on A1A near Patrick Air Force Base. The address is 967 SR-A1A, Patrick AFB 32937. Please come and join us as we celebrate the life of this wonderful man,
