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CHURCH HILL – Leon Clinton Gibbons, 74, left this life peacefully on Monday, April 24, 2023, after a brief battle with bladder cancer.

Leon was the youngest son of the late John Robert and Nina Bean Gibbons. He lived and farmed all his life on Payne Ridge Road. He was a 1966 graduate of Church Hill High School and was active in the FFA during school. After leaving the Army he worked as a building material delivery driver for Noland Co., Holston Builders, and in the last years, for Builder’s First Source in Mount Carmel, TN. He enjoyed the challenge and longed to have one more go and take one more trip.

He and Barbara “Sam” met in high school and were friends before she became his wife on March 27, 1970. Like the good farmer he was, they spent their first day as man and wife building a fence. They spent many days thereafter in the same pursuit. The late Ralph C. and Maxie Marshall were Leon’s in-laws, and he always strived to make them proud.

Leon and Sam owned Sam’s Ceramics and taught numerous classes in the craft for many years. Even through each of their illnesses, you seldom saw one without the other. They had a great love of Christ and one another. Leon was a singer most of his life up until he didn’t have enough wind to sing anymore. They were lifelong members of Mt. Zion Church and attended church services during their nearly 53 years together with Leon singing and Sam booking the appointments. He sang with the Mt. Zion Quartet, Shining Light Trio, The Happy Four Quartet, and the Liberty Quartet. Leon lasted exactly 5 months without Sam, and now they are reunited.

He is survived by his oldest brother, Larry D. Gibbons (Edna); niece, Denise Barrett (Roger); nephew, Stacey Gibbons (Jessica); older brother, Robert R. “Bob” Gibbons; niece, Salena Gibbons Byrd (Richard); nephew, Chris Gibbons (Cassandra); sister-in-law, Elizabeth Potter (Jerry); niece, Kristy Robinson; great nephew, Seth Elliott; special sisters-in-law, Judy Gibbons, and Savannah Gibbons; several great nieces, and nephews; as well as many dear friends.

A special thank you to Steve and Alice Ann Ketron who were his extended family and were his companions and caregivers to the very end.

The family would like the nurses and staff at Ballad Cancer Center in Kingsport to know that Leon was so appreciative of their care and prayers that were lifted for him. He always knew he would be met with a smile and kind words. Rest assured, he knew where he was going and is now singing a new song.

A visitation will be held from 12:00-2:00 PM on Sunday, April 30, 2023, at Johnson-Arrowood Funeral Home. The graveside will follow, weather permitting, to Church Hill Memory Gardens with Rev. Greg Fletcher and Rev. John Richards officiating. In the event of inclement weather, the graveside service will be held in the funeral home chapel.

Serving as pallbearers will be Stacey Gibbons, Chris Gibbons, Roger Barrett, Richard Byrd, Seth Elliott, Ethan Barrett, Roman Gibbons, and Steve Ketron.