Donald "Don" Gene Gipson

Donald Gene Gipson passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 29th 2024. A celebration of life will be held at Wilcox Oaks Golf Course on Thursday, June 20th at 2 p.m. He was born to Cal and Audrey Gipson on June 18, 1943 in Eureka, CA. The family lived in Cranell and then Big Lagoon. Don graduated from Arcata High School in 1961. In 1963 he married Jeanne Meissner and they moved to Red Bluff in 1965. Don started working as a powder monkey, blowing up stumps for the logging company. In 1963 he took out a loan and bought his first Kenworth log truck. He owned and operated log trucks for many years until he opened Gipson Truck Repair and Gipson Manufacturing. Don was also a mechanic and fabricator at Ben’s Truck Repair for many years.

In his later years he worked at fire camps running the sink trailers for the fire fighters.

In 1988 Don married Jayna Vest. Together they raised Quarter Horses and Paints for 10 years. Jayna said he was a genius at irrigating, having never wasted a drop of water.

He was a member of Wilcox Oaks Golf Club and Ishi Archery Club.

Don enjoyed hunting, killing a deer last year at age 80. He was a State Champion archer, enjoyed bowling, golfing, and water skiing. Don was also a gifted inventor and fabricator. He invented and patented several Log truck Accessories. As a young man he was a successful drag racer.

Whenever he would take up a hobby or task he would work obsessively until he mastered it and then move on.

He is survived by his two sons, Ben (Diane) Gipson of Cottonwood, Kurt Gipson of Anderson, three daughters, Janice (Marc) Brusie of Chico, Barbara (Tom) Kibby of Vacaville and Jennifer Gipson of Corning, step children, Doneva Vest of Glenwood, WA, Jodi (Mark) McMurtrey of Redding, one brother, Kenneth Gipson of Lacy, WA, two ex-wives, Jeanne Meissner of Chico and Jayna Gipson of Red Bluff, grandchildren, Blake, Trevor, Lauren, Chet, Katie, Kelsey and Riley, step grandsons, Justin and Andrew, great grandchildren, Claire and Grant. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Dale and Dub Gipson.