"Sonia" Zenovia Gibson

“Sonia” Zenovia Demetria Gibson, 86, passed away on Sunday, November 8, 2020, at her home in Orlando Florida. Sonia was born on March 18, 1934, in Kulpmont, Pennsylvania to Dimitri and Edith Lahaza, their first child. They gave her a little brother, named Michael, a little less than five years later. She said her parents nicknamed her “Sunny”, because she was born on a Sunday, but that later became “Sonia”, and that nickname stuck for the rest of her life. She grew up in Kulpmont. She spent elementary and middle school at St. Mary's, and became a good Catholic, with many good Catholic friends that she always spoke fondly, and had good memories of. She was happy to graduate from 8th grade and start at Kulpmont High School, where she enjoyed music, sports, changing classes and “regular people” for teachers. She loved gym and playing intramural basketball as a guard. She was active in many of the school clubs, but loved playing basketball and dancing the most. Sonia kept up with school friends from her early days late into her life, attending many of her high school reunions. She graduated in 1951, from Kulpmont High school, with a strong desire to live in the “big city”. And she did. But first, she spent two years working for an accountant/auditor near her hometown. Her goal was New York, so she went east with her girlfriend to Williamsport, PA, and worked for a large insurance company for a while. And then, New York, where she worked in office jobs, and made friends. She and her friends were having an outing on Cape Cod, where they met a group of Air Force men. That's where she met her husband, Herman, better known as “Buzz”. After that, Buzz traveled to New York frequently. After he was discharged from the Service, they were married in her hometown in November 1956, and then settled in Atlanta, GA. Within the year, they had a bright, shiny baby boy, and named him Michael, after Sonia's brother, who sadly, had passed away at fourteen years old, from a heart condition. In 1959 their baby girl appeared, who was named Grace Edith, and nicknamed Gigi. Sonia and Buzz moved to Orlando, where he worked in the aerospace industry. Sonia remained a housewife, mother and a student. They did a short stint in Huntsville, AL for Buzz's job, and moved back to Orlando. Jeffrey became a new brother to the first two kids in 1962, and Herbie (Herman III) showed up in 1965. Sonia was devoted to her children all her adult life. She inspired them to make eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren (so far). She was also devoted to her husband Buzz, married to him for nearly 64 years. As an adult, Sonia was always a practicing Catholic, taking her kids to church and leading them to become good Catholics. She was adventurous! For nearly twenty years, starting around age fifty, she took up snow skiing, and traveled once or twice most years, with her ski club buddies, to the big mountain ranges out west. She took up scuba diving with her family; she adored cruising on the high seas; she loved her swimming pool, where she spent a lot of her free time. She was a beloved wife, mother and grandmother. She was friend to many people, always enjoying conversation with friends and strangers. She was funny, with a great sense of humor, and an optimistic way of looking at the world. She was forgiving. Sonia's family mourns her absence from this earth, but rejoices along with her that she is now with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Sonia is survived by her husband of nearly 64 years, Herman “Buzz” Gibson; four children, Michael Walter and wife Carol; Grace Edith Mihanovic and husband Branko; Jeffrey Allen Gibson; Herman Busby Gibson III; and 8 grandchildren: Bridget, Eva, Anna, Lisa, Katie, Megan, Joshua and Ivan; and 7 great-grandchildren: Carley, Henry, Sam, Dylan, Porter, Beatrix and Magnus. Sonia's funeral is to be held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, in Orlando, FL, on Monday, November 16. Viewing at 10:00; Funeral Mass at 11:00; Procession to Greenwood Cemetery with graveside service at noon, approximately.

"Sonia" Zenovia Gibson

March 18, 1934 - November 8, 2020