Pauline M. Gibbs

Pauline Merle (Sorenson) Gibbs, 90, of Ponca NE, died on Saturday, July 5, 2025 at Holy Spirit Retirement Home in Sioux City, IA with Sandy, Sheryl and caring staff surrounding her with love.

Services will be held on Thursday, July 17 at Salem Lutheran Church in Ponca with Pastor Chris Meier officiating. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM followed by the service at 11:00 and a lunch afterward. Burial will take place at Lime Creek Cemetery near Maskell that afternoon. Everyone is welcome to wear Ponca blue or Husker red to celebrate two of Pauline’s joys. In lieu of flowers, we ask that memorials be made to Salem Lutheran Church, PO Box 316, Ponca NE 68770.

Pauline was born on May 17, 1935 in Sioux City, IA just a few hours after the death of her father, Merle Sorenson, from spinal meningitis. Her mother, Ruby (Gran) Sorenson, was left to care for her newborn, 2-year-old Bill, 5-year-old Darlene and a farm south of Maskell, NE. Ruby married Martin Swanson in 1940. Brother Lamont was born in 1942. Pauline graduated from Maskell High School in 1953 and married Albert Gibbs in 1955. They lived in the red brick house two blocks north of Ponca Public School for 52 years where she kindly helped many elderly neighbors.

Pauline provided childcare in her home till she got her first driver’s license in 1974. She became a cleaning lady for the Elms Health Care Center and Bank of Dixon County. Later, she provided housekeeping and in-home care with many of her clients becoming dear friends. She was a devoted daughter to her mother, Ruby.

Albert and Pauline were severely injured in a car accident in 2007. The community of Ponca wrapped their arms around them and their family in the years that followed. When Albert died in 2013, Pauline moved to the third floor of Pioneer Squares Apartments. Thanks to the assistance of her neighbors, daughters, nieces, nephew, cousins and friends, her move to the Elms Health Care Center was delayed by several years. It was crushing when the Elms closed but her family is grateful to have discovered Holy Spirit Retirement Home high on a hill in west Sioux City. Their staff and the good people of St. Croix Hospice have been blessings to Pauline and her loved ones.

Survivors include her daughters, Clarice (Gary) Boring of Cody, WY; Sandy (Rick) Nelson of Sioux City, IA and Sheryl Persinger of Ponca. Pauline was very proud of her five grandchildren: Jake (Alexandra) Nelson, Matt (Hannah, fiancé) Nelson, Erin (Dan) Dirks, Emily and Eli Persinger, and two great granddaughters, Adi Cook (Dirks) and Josie Dirks. Also surviving Pauline are her brothers Bill Sorenson and Lamont (Darlene) Swanson, sisters-in-laws Vivian Gibbs and Glenda (Dale) Kuhlmann, and very dear nieces, nephews and cousins.

Preceding Pauline in death are her parents, husband Albert, infant daughter Carrie, sister Darlene, Albert’s parents, Casper and Maude Gibbs, brothers-in-law Lee, Merle, Howard and Irwin Gibbs and sister-in-law Delores Sorenson.

Pauline walked many, many miles in her 90 years, a love she passed on to her girls. We will think of her with each trail we explore – and every time we get a case of the Gibbs Girl Giggles! We will love you forever, Mom.