James Wylie Jr "Jim" Gibbons

Bachelor of Arts, 1974 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Master of Arts, 1977 from the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville). Majored in Speech and Drama. Performed in many collegiate, community theatre, church and dinner theatre productions.

Married a beautiful blue-eyed woman from Illinois, the former Callye Hunt, on August 16, 1986; Father of two fine sons, Jimi and Gabe, born in 1989 and 1992, respectively.

Have spent most of my adult life as a Volunteer Director, although I was a traveling salesman and/or insurance agent for 8 years. Since January 2, 1992, I have served as Volunteer Director for Baptist Health in Little Rock, Arkansas and have headed numerous United Way campaigns and other charitable fund-raising events.

I remember with great delight having Mrs. Grace Moseley as my American History teacher during 11th grade. She was a dedicated FDR Democrat, who began her teaching career during the Great Depression and taught with a great passion and love of country.

During the 1968 Presidential election we had three (3) major choices. Democrat Hubert H. Humphrey, Republican Richard M. Nixon and American Independent George C. Wallace. Wallace, of course, had been an avowed segregationist governor of Alabama.

Mrs. Moseley had "mock" elections in the class and let us discuss the issues of the day - and there were many. However, she grabbed our attention with a solemn vow to wear black in mourning if George C. Wallace carried the great state of Arkansas during the statewide vote. Well, true to
Arkansas' fierce independence, our state voted for a liberal Democrat (J. William Fulbright) for the U.S. Senate; a moderate Republican (Winthrop Rockefeller) for Governor; and . . . you guessed it a very right wing Independent (George C. Wallace) - all on the same statewide election. Only in Arkansas!

Knowing that Wallace would receive all of Arkansas' 6 electoral votes was almost more than Mrs. Moseley could stand. We, her students, could hardly wait to arrive at school the day after the election to see if Mrs. Moseley had indeed worn black "in mourning." True to her word, decked out in black from head to toe, there was Mrs. Moseley. She was a most remarkable lady, who taught us about history, but also about life.