Joseph "Walter" Gibson, 73, of La Plata, MD formerly from Bushwood, MD passed away on January 16, 2014 in East Stroudsburg, PA. Born on May 22, 1940 in Bushwood, MD he was the son of the late Thomas Laurie and Essie Mae Owens Gibson.

Walter was the loving husband of Melanie Andrea Downs Gibson, whom he married on September 10, 1966 in Sacred Heart Catholic Church Bushwood, MD.

Walter is survived by his children; Julie Scoville (Doug) of Fairfax, VA, Jenny Gibson-McCann (Mark) of Philadelphia, PA, Joe Gibson of Catonsville, MD, 2 grandchildren; Derek and Dominic. Siblings; Jim Gibson, and Helen Hewitt both of Bushwood, MD, Betty Williams of Mechanicsville, MD, Bernadette Zimmerman , and McGuire Gibson of Chicago, IL.

He was preceded by his siblings; Laurie Gibson,Francis Gibson, and Roseline Thorn.

Walter graduated from Ryken High School in 1957 and graduated from University of Maryland in 1969 with a Bachelors of Science. He lived in St. Mary's County, MD from 1940 to 1966, and he worked as a Soil Scientist for the United Stated Army in Ft. Belvoir, retiring in 2001 after 35 years, also he was a Building Contractor for J.W. Gibson Construction Company for 45 years. Walter served in the United States Army for two and half years, from 1962 to September, 1964, his duty stations were Tobeyhanna Army Depot, PA, and he also served in the Vietnam War.

Walter enjoyed traveling, building, restoring vintage tractors and V.W. Bugs.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, January 23, 2014 from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM with prayers recited at 7:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home Leonardtown, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 24, 2014 at 10:00 AM in Sacred Heart Catholic Church Bushwood, MD with Father Charles Cortinovis officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Pallbearers; John Brown, Tristan Brown, Mark Hewitt, Joey Williams, Paul Eric Gibson, Jr., and Ned Keegan. Honorary Pallbeareres; Jack Williams, Andrew Guy, Donald Hewitt, Eric Gibson, Bernard Chambers, Frank Thorne, and Tom Thorne.

Contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Charles County 71 Industrial Park Drive, P.O. box 1015 Waldorf, MD 20604, and/or Pancreatic Cancer Action Network-www.pancan.org.

Arrangements provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD.