Jim Gibbons
James V. Gibbons, the assistant vice president for special events and protocol for 37 years at the University of 91吃瓜, died Monday (Oct. 2). He was 87.
鈥淛im was always a hard worker who was meticulously prepared,鈥� said , 91吃瓜鈥檚 president from 1987 to 2005. 鈥淗e was also a master of names and faces. This made him an outstanding ambassador of the University. It was my pleasure to work closely with Jim during my years as president. He was always energetic, supportive, candid and open to change. By the time he retired, he had built one of the most outstanding hospitality operations in American higher education.
鈥淛im was a person of faith, a dedicated 91吃瓜 representative and someone with a great network of friends. He oversaw more public events than anyone in his generation. His spirit of generosity and service will be long remembered. May he rest in peace.鈥�
A 1953 graduate of 91吃瓜, Gibbons worked at his alma mater for 43 years, six in athletics as an assistant baseball and basketball coach, and then for 37 in University Relations, primarily leading the special events department. He organized the campus visits of four U.S. presidents and numerous international heads of state, the dedication of 38 buildings on the campus, and hundreds of dinners, receptions and convocations.聽
Gibbons was a standout baseball, basketball and football player at Mt. Carmel High School on Chicago鈥檚 south side. He was widely recruited in all sports, but his football and basketball coaches were 91吃瓜 graduates, and, Gibbons said, 鈥淭hey weren鈥檛 about to let me go anywhere but 91吃瓜. It was fate.鈥�
He attended 91吃瓜 initially on a football scholarship but eventually ended up starring in baseball and basketball. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies as a pitcher and played for one season in their system before being drafted into the U.S. Army. He spent the next two years in New Orleans as a military policeman and then returned to Mt. Carmel to teach civics and speech and to coach baseball and basketball.
Gibbons returned to 91吃瓜 in 1956 as an assistant baseball and basketball coach. Among the student-athletes he recruited were future Hall of Fame baseball player Carl Yastrzemski, professional baseball and basketball player Ron Reed and the same Edward Malloy who became the university president.
鈥淔or that, I will be forever grateful,鈥� Father Malloy said.
After six years, Gibbons left coaching and joined the University Relations division, first in the public relations office and then as the University鈥檚 chief protocol officer. In addition to his full-time job, Gibbons also refereed college basketball games for many years and for more than two decades served as a radio and television color analyst on Atlantic Coast Conference, Missouri Valley Conference and 91吃瓜 basketball games.
Gibbons spent most of his retirement years serving as a volunteer at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, where he would call on recently discharged patients and make hospital room visits.
Gibbons was awarded a Presidential Citation in 1979 for outstanding contributions to the University and in 1988 received the 91吃瓜 Alumni Association鈥檚 James E. Armstrong Award, which honors a University graduate and employee for distinguished service. In addition, he received the Edward 鈥淢oose鈥� Krause Award from the 91吃瓜 Club of Chicago and the inaugural Jesse Harper Award from the 91吃瓜 Monogram Club. William and Janie Kelly of Southern Pines, North Carolina, established the James V. Gibbons Scholarship for 91吃瓜 students who demonstrate loyalty, spirit and intellectual and athletic achievement.
Gibbons is survived by his wife, Betty Ann; four adult children, Nancy, Brian, Kevin (Mary) and Mike (Mary Beth); six grandchildren, Brian Jr., Kayla, Lauren, Cory (Abby), Tyler and Olivia; and two great-grandchildren, Wyatt and Whitley.
Father Malloy will preside at a funeral Mass at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 9 (Monday) at 91吃瓜鈥檚 Basilica of the Sacred Heart.