Veonna Gibbs

Frankenmuth, MI

The Lord called His servant, Veonna Glee (Wilshusen) Gibbs, to depart in His peace on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the age of 87. Formerly of Flint and Davison, Nona returned to her German Lutheran heritage in 1997 when she moved to Frankenmuth and became a member of St. Lorenz Lutheran Church.

A product of the Dust Bowl era, Nona was born November 25, 1938, to Ralph and Maxine (Henderson) Wilshusen in Tulare, CA. While in California, Ralph eventually worked on Mare Island building submarines for the military while Maxine worked as a housekeeper. Nona was the second of five siblings and was affectionately known as “Sissy.” In 1943, the family returned to Nebraska.

At 10, Nona assumed the family’s caretaking and mothered her newborn sister when their mother struggled with mental health. At 14, she again stepped into a maternal role, helping care for her youngest brother. Yet, Nona dreamed of a college education. At 17, her father sold a hog for $300 which provided the downpayment for her tuition at Concordia Teachers’ College in Seward, Nebraska. The rest she earned from working three jobs.

In 1957, Nona moved to Flint, Michigan, to teach and serve as organist at Our Savior Lutheran. During her second year of teaching, she met and married Marshall Gibbs, a Flint native, in 1959.

After marriage, Nona devoted herself to family life while continuing an ambitious professional career. She and Marshall welcomed their daughter, Bethany, in 1960, and later their son, Scott, in 1968. Alongside raising her children, Nona taught full time, played the organ for worship and weddings, taught piano lessons and completed her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in1964. That same year, she transitioned from parochial education to the Flint public school system. In 1969, she earned her master’s degree in education.

Over her 40-year teaching career, half was spent in the classroom and the remainder in central administration as Magnet coordinator and heading curriculum and staff development functions. Following her retirement from the Flint schools in 1999, she taught education methods courses at the University of Michigan-Flint for 5 years. She also twice served as interim principal at area Lutheran schools during administrative vacancies and worked as a private consultant in Learning Styles teaching methods, a field she deeply valued.

Nona worked until Marshall was diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia in 2012. She then devoted herself fully to his care. Nona and Marshall were married for over 58 years before his passing in 2018.

After Marshall’s death, Nona sought renewed purpose through service and became a trained Stephen Minister. Her passion for education found new expression as she helped enrich Stephen Ministry training with best practices from secular education. In the final years of her life, she faithfully shared her wisdom, compassion, and experience through this ministry and others at St. Lorenz.

On April 23, Nona was hospitalized with acute diverticulitis. During that treatment, she experienced a heart attack and renal failure, which doctors said were untreatable. On May 9, she passed into the arms of her risen Savior.

Nona will be remembered for her love of her family, indomitable strength, keen intellect, tireless work ethic, fiercely independent spirit, generous heart and abiding love for our Lord and His Word.

She is survived by her two children and their families, daughter Bethany (Gibbs) Young and son-in-law Donald Young, California; son M. Scott Gibbs and daughter-in-law Kiffany Gibbs, Massachusetts; granddaughter Andrea (Young) Razo and her husband Lorenzo Razo, California; granddaughter Cora Gibbs and grandson Doran Gibbs, Massachusetts; and great-grandchildren Emilia Razo and Remy Razo, California. Nona was preceded in death by husband Marshal Gibbs, in 2018; grandson, Eric Young, in 2014; and brother, Thomas. Nona is also survived by three siblings: Douglas Wilshusen, LaDonna (Wilshusen) Flood, and Randy Wilshusen, all of Nebraska.

The funeral will take place on Friday, May 29, at 11:00 am at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, 1030 W. Tuscola St., Frankenmuth, Michigan. Visitation will be held at the church on May 29th from 10:00 am until the time of service.

Those wishing to express sympathy may consider a memorial donation in Nona’s name to Wellspring Lutheran Services of Frankenmuth or to St. Lorenz Lutheran Church for staff training and development.