John “Jack” Gibney (Colonel retired) passed away on April 2nd at age 91 after a short illness. He was born in 1930 to Jesse and Helen Gibney. Like his father, also a career army officer, Jack graduated from West Point in 1952. He served for 30 years in the U.S. Army, including seven years in Vietnam where among many accomplishments he facilitated the release of three American POWs in 1968. He retired with the rank of Colonel in 1982.

In 1974, he married Barbara Apostolou (formerly Bucy) and they enjoyed 44 years of marriage until her passing in 2019. In 1991, after having lived in Northern Virginia since Jack’s retirement, they relocated to Bainbridge Island in order to be closer to Barbara’s family. There, Jack’s passion for gardening and landscaping flourished. He also was very active in his church volunteering for a number of charities that focused on helping the less fortunate including Helpline House and St. Vincent De Paul. Throughout his life, Jack was an avid reader and always welcomed a spirited debate.

He is survived by his stepsons Scott and Jeff Apostolou, his daughter-in-law Christy Apostolou, granddaughter Kate Apostolou, nieces Karen Cummings and Ann McCaull, brother- and sister-in-law Warren and Susan Bucy and his brother Jesse Lewis Gibney.

A funeral mass followed by a reception will be held at 11am on April 30th at Saint Cecilia’s Church located at 1310 Madison Avenue North on Bainbridge Island. A Rosary prayer service will precede the funeral mass at 1030am.