Gary F. Kibbe

Gary Frank Kibbe passed away peacefully surrounded by family after a brief illness at the age of 61. He was the best dad his kids could have ever asked for. 

Gary’s devotion to his family was unwavering. Some of his best memories are of family vacations and road trips. Gary never missed a single one of his kids’ school concerts, performances, academic ceremonies, or sports games. He drove his kids home from college each weekend so they could spend time together. Gary read every academic paper his kids had written and told them he was proud of them every day. He and his family loved playing board games, going to the movie theater, eating at restaurants (especially Culver’s), and watching television together. Gary’s legacy lives on through his kids, who will miss him every day and who will love him always. 

Gary married the love of his life, Natalie, on November 25th, 1992. They met at Schelde’s in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he was a manager, and she was a waitress. They always joked that he was the boss before they were married, and she was the boss after. Gary and Natalie raised their family in Comstock Park, Michigan before relocating as a family to Columbus, Ohio in 2015. Gary and Natalie enjoyed date nights at Lowe’s, raising their kids together, and making every day an adventure. 

Gary is survived by his kids, Mackenzie Kibbe and Noah Kibbe; his former wife, mother of his kids, and best friend, Natalie Kibbe; his dogs, Cora Kibbe and Spudley Kibbe; his mom, April Zuiderveen, with whom he shared books and special talks; his dad, Dennis Kibbe; his brother, Brad “Ed” (Dawn) Kibbe; his very first friend, John Fewlass; his father-in-law, Scott Stevens; his grandma, Ruth O’Keefe; and countless aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, coworkers, and friends. 

Gary was preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Elizabeth Stevens, who he adored; his nephew, William Kibbe, who shared his sense of humor; his beloved dogs, Gracie Kibbe and Oliver Kibbe; his stepfather, Larry Zuiderveen; his stepmother, Lucille Kibbe; and his grandparents Loretta Mae and Lawrence Crowder, Ruth and Lyle Kibbe, Thomas O’Keefe, and Betty and Donald Stevens. 

Gary was born in Cadillac, Michigan and grew up in Manton, Michigan. He attended Manton Consolidated High School and later Michigan State University. Gary began his career in the family business at Northwest Tool and Die in Walker, Michigan and later worked for 14 years at Challenge Manufacturing. Most recently, Gary worked from home as a Design Assurance Quality Manager at Stanley Black and Decker. When it came to his job, Gary was humbly brilliant. He rarely took a sick day and was proud to provide for his family. 

Gary’s sense of humor, kindness, and hugs will be dearly missed. He never hesitated to help his neighbors, he made babies smile, he enjoyed volunteering, and he taught others that most problems can be solved by eating dessert first. Gary loved celebrating birthdays and holidays (Christmas was his favorite), grilling and smoking meat, reading books and newspapers, scrolling TikTok and Reddit, sharing memes with family and friends, walking outdoors, feeding treats to his neighbors’ dogs, doing yardwork and chopping wood, and sitting by the pool. Gary will be remembered for always knowing just what to say to make people laugh. 

Gary faced an incredibly aggressive diagnosis with grace. His strength during this time was inspiring and did not go unnoticed by his family and doctors. Gary was generous even in death. His final act was to give to others as a registered organ and tissue donor. 

Gary’s family extends a special thank you to The James Cancer Hospital, Mount Carmel St. Ann’s, Summit Home Care, and Zangmeister Cancer Center for their compassionate care. 

The family will receive visitors at Newcomer Funeral Home Northwest Chapel located at 10051 Brewster Ln. Powell, OH 43065 on November 16th, 2024, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. A memorial will begin at 2:00 pm. Gary’s son, Noah, will be officiating. The memorial will also be livestreamed. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the family, who will be gifting the City of Manton Fire Department with a check in Gary’s honor. Gary’s dad was previously Manton’s Fire Chief, and Gary organized tool donations to the fire department through his employer. 

Gary created a magical life for his family, and they will be forever grateful. His loss will be felt deeply by all who were fortunate enough to know him.