Thomas B. Gibble, 83, formerly of Lancaster, died at Lakeside at Willow Valley on Monday, April 2, 2012. His wife of 57 years Dorothy M. Corey Gibble died in 2011. Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Harold McKinstry and Kathryn Minerva Enck Gibble.

A 1946 graduate of J. P. McCaskey High School, Tom earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Gettysburg College in 1949 where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He earned his Master's Degree in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley in 1958. He served in hospital administration in the US Air Force for 21 years spanning the Korean and Vietnam Wars, retiring his commission in 1971. Lt. Colonel Gibble's duty stations included several cities in Texas, California, Delaware, Ohio, Langley, Virginia and Bethesda, MD, and foreign stations included Seoul, Korea, Itami, Japan and Wiesbaden, Germany. As a civilian Tom worked in hospital administration in various positions, including serving as Vice President of Operations of St. Joseph Hospital for 18 years. Tom was the first lay president of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, and a past president of the Board of Directors of Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic.

Tom and his wife Dorothy were one of the founding families of St. John Neumann Catholic Church. He was a member of AARP, the Military Officers Association of America, the USAF Medical Service Corps Association and the Lancaster Lodge #134 B.P.O.E. An avid golfer he was a former member of Meadia Heights Golf Club.

Surviving are five children, Maureen E., wife of John Felix, Mount Joy, Patricia G., wife of Michael Rinehart, East Petersburg, Diana M., wife of Brian Hicks, Elkins Park, Karen F., wife of Ernie Blaine, Kutztown and Thomas P. Gibble, husband of Lee Ann Pitts, Gulf Breeze, FL; 15 grandchildren and 3 great-granddaughters; his brother H. Nelson Gibble, New Jersey and his sister S. Diane Wolf, Lancaster. Tom's was preceded in death by his brother Harold M. Gibble, Jr.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 AM Tuesday, April 10, 2012, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church 601 E. Delp Rd., Lancaster, PA with The Rev. Paul J. Theisz as Celebrant. Viewings will be held 6-8 PM Monday from the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA, and 10-11 AM Tuesday at the church. The Recitation of the Holy Rosary will take place 7:30 PM Monday at the funeral home. Final Commendation and Farewell with full military honors in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc., 135 Parkinson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305 or to AseraCare Hospice, 315 Primrose Lane, Suite 101, Mountville, PA 17554. The family wishes to thank the staff of Willow Valley Lakeside for their kindness and care of both Tom and the family.To send an online condolence or for more information please visit SnyderFuneralHome.com. Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory 717-560-5100