The late Joan Gibson, my dear friend, was an exemplary instructor of physical education who possessed a remarkable talent for working with her hands. She lived 97 years on this earth.
Joan was born in Cardiff to William Gibson, a builder, and Margaret Norie, a post office employee. After her time studying at St Swithun’s school in Winchester, she enrolled as a physical training instructor at a Bedford college.
Her initial job was at Llangollen during World War II. She resided with pupils in one of the school’s various houses that functioned without electricity, solely relying on candles. Joan slept on the balcony to cool herself on hot nights, mowed the tennis courts, and cycled into town on her afternoons off with her bike heavily loaded with tennis rackets or lacrosse sticks for restringing.
When the war ended, Joan relocated to Bedford Physical Training College and then to Bedford High School, where she taught until her retirement in 1972. To generations of students, Joan, known as Gibby, was perceived as strict yet fair, laying down high standards of behavior, which everyone followed.
Not just strict, she was also known to showcase enormous kindness. She always helped boarding pupils who had nothing to eat at bedtime after returning from an away match or swimming by giving them apples and cheese. Joan’s former colleagues and pupils frequently sought her guidance and encouragement, cementing lifelong friendships.
After retirement, she settled in Eastbourne, where she cherished swimming in the sea from April to October. Here she devoted more time to her love of dolls’ houses and miniatures, collecting and selling them. Her ingenuity shone, with Joan bringing to life things that most people would have disregarded as worthless.
Joan always carried pipe cleaners with her, and on train journeys, she used them to craft tiny teddy bears, her forte, frequently selling them to fellow passengers to supplement her pension before reaching her destination.
Joan had a deep-rooted dislike for sitting in front of a television and never owned one. She continuously waged war with authorities who found it hard to believe that her only television sets were the tiny ones from the modern dolls’ houses. Friends adored her, cherishing her as a beacon of soundness, kindness, and support, recalling her boundless love and compassion.
Joan is survived by her niece, two great-nephews, and three great-great-nieces.