Walter N. Gibbs' Obituary
Sergeant Major Walter N. Gibbs
Sergeant Major Gibbs was born 29 March, 1948 in Holly Grove, Arkansas. He attended Holly Grove High School and graduated with honors in May 1966. He is one of 12 children born to W. A. and Lucille Gibbs. Sergeant Major Gibbs entered the Army on Friday the 13th of February 1967. He married Patricia Kay Beck of Clarendon, Arkansas, on June 1, 1969. Patricia Gibbs notes that it was “the best choice he ever made!” High school sweethearts, they fell in love, married, and expanded their family with two daughters: Tracy Gibbs Trudo and Ann Gibbs Shelton, both of whom currently reside in Benton County, Arkansas.
SGM Gibbs is a 30-year U.S. Army veteran having served in Vietnam, two tours Germany, two tours in Korea, and one tour in Okinawa. USA assignments included Fort Belvoir, VA, Fort Gordon, GA, Fort Bliss, TX, and a total of 17 years at Fort Sill, OK. He served as a mechanic, Artillery Section Chief, Platoon Sergeant, Instructor, Fort Sill Inspector General Master Sergeant, First Sergeant, and Sergeant Major, achieving the rank of E-9, which is the highest enlisted rank in the US Army.
SGM Walter N. Gibbs retired after 30-years in the US Army and relocated to his beloved Arkansas, residing in Cabot to be near family. Once retired, Sergeant Major Gibbs happily set aside his honored rank for being known as “Walt” while working for AutoZone for another 23 years, as a hiring manager and opening manager. Walt retired fully in 2020. Retirement hobbies included fishing, golfing, and hunting, and he also kept himself busy with various vehicle acquisitions and fix-ups. Notably, he even had an old WWII jeep with a white star on the hood in his yard for a while!
Walt was loved by many in Cabot, and will be remembered as a fiercely loyal friend to all those who earned his trust. Trust and integrity were core values, and he was known to be firm but fair. For those fortunate enough to be in his trusted circle of loved ones, they will always remember him for his generosity.
Of all the titles he held, one was most important: “Papa.”
Nothing compared in this world to the joy brought to him by his grandchildren and great grandchild. He ensured his love was understood as each grandchild was given a car when they learned to drive, and often they were also given advice on how to fix it and properly keep them clean! Papa loved his grandchildren’s successes, and quietly mourned with them during sad times. Papa took joy in every shared event or experience, loved watching them from afar, and remembered especially those times when they could be together. Even when his health issues made it difficult to be there, he always pushed himself as far as he could, to ensure he could be in his grandchildren’s lives.
Sergeant Major Walter N. “Papa” Gibbs was taken from us before we were ready. The honor he brought in life serving the great United States of America resulted in his death from military-service related Parkinson’s. Never, though, did he regret serving his country, loving his fellow Americans, or being proud to be a citizen of this great country. He found great joy in his military service, and will forever be known as a soldier. He was a shining example of what it means to be a hero unseen.
Walter N. Gibbs is survived by his Wife, Patricia, his siblings, Pauline (Jimmy) Wilson, Charles Amos (Lulu) Gibbs, and Barbara (Charles) Cothran, his children Tracy (Chris) Trudo, and Ann (Jerry) Shelton, his grandchildren, Haven (Zack) Demaree, Jacob (Sarah Fay) Shelton, Dawson (Addison) Tenney, Walter Garrett Shelton, Natasha (Jacob) Wright, Michael (Mandy) Trudo, Janez Trudo, and great-grandchildren, Ellarae Jo Shelton, Bentley Wright, and Sophia Wright.
We will love and miss him, always.
Services will be held at Moore’s Chapel in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Monday June 22 at 11:30am, followed by graveside military honors at Fayetteville National Cemetery.
To place an online tribute, please visit www.bernafuneralhomes.com
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