Obituary for Gibson Dey Byrd Eppler "Gibby" Wright (Dey)
Gibson Dey Byrd Eppler Wright passed away on January 9, 2019 at Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury in Irvington, Virginia. She was preceded in death by her husbands George Bentley Byrd, John Vaughan Eppler and Lt. General W.H. Sterling Wright.
Gibson was born in 1917 to William T. Dey and Dora Gibson Lewis Dey and lived in Norfolk where she attended Walter H. Taylor Elementary School. At age 6 her family moved to Miami, Florida where she attended The Cushman School and Miami Central High School. She graduated from Florida State College for Women in 1939 where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. After graduation she taught elementary school in Miami until World War II. During the war years she worked for the Army Service Command in Hialeah, Florida. Her first husband George B. Byrd of Norfolk, Virginia died during the war and she subsequently married John Vaughan Eppler in 1946. They lived together and raised their three sons in Bernardsville, New Jersey. In 1978 she and her husband John moved to Kilmarnock, Virginia. After John’s death in 1992 she later married Lt. General W.H. Sterling Wright who predeceased her in 2009.
Gibson was an active member of the Junior League in Florida and New Jersey. She also served on the Altar Guild of St. Bernards Episcopal Church in Bernardsville, New Jersey and Grace Episcopal Church in Kilmarnock, Virginia. In addition, she served in many volunteer capacities at both churches as well as Historic Christ Church in Weems, Virginia and the Mary Ball Washington Museum in Lancaster, Virginia. Gibby will be remembered and cherished for her warm smile, her gracious manner and her loving heart.
She is survived by her son, John W. Eppler and his wife Dianne of Norfolk, Virginia, her son Thomas D. Eppler and his wife Jean of Venice, Florida, her son James L. Eppler and his wife Kay of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. She is also survived by her grandchildren Sarah Bruber and her husband John of Richmond, Virginia, Gibson Hall and her husband Chris of Norfolk, Virginia, John W. Eppler, Jr. of Richmond, Virginia, Martha Cohen and her husband Sam of Richmond, Virginia, and Rebecca Eppler of Washington, DC. She is also survived by four great grandchildren, Olivia Gibson Bruber, Graham Franklin Bruber, Maxwell Sterling Cohen and Vaughan Louis Cohen. In addition, she is survived by her sister, Amy D. Bruce of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The family would like to thank her longtime caregiver and friend Mary Henderson of Lancaster, Virginia and Lucy Martin of Kilmarnock, Virginia for their companionship and kindness. In lieu of flowers the family requests any donations be made to Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury,132 Lancaster Drive, Irvington, VA 22480 or Grace Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 1059, Kilmarnock, VA 22482 or the Historic Christ Church Foundation, P. O. Box 24, Irvington, VA 22480.
Gibson was born in 1917 to William T. Dey and Dora Gibson Lewis Dey and lived in Norfolk where she attended Walter H. Taylor Elementary School. At age 6 her family moved to Miami, Florida where she attended The Cushman School and Miami Central High School. She graduated from Florida State College for Women in 1939 where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. After graduation she taught elementary school in Miami until World War II. During the war years she worked for the Army Service Command in Hialeah, Florida. Her first husband George B. Byrd of Norfolk, Virginia died during the war and she subsequently married John Vaughan Eppler in 1946. They lived together and raised their three sons in Bernardsville, New Jersey. In 1978 she and her husband John moved to Kilmarnock, Virginia. After John’s death in 1992 she later married Lt. General W.H. Sterling Wright who predeceased her in 2009.
Gibson was an active member of the Junior League in Florida and New Jersey. She also served on the Altar Guild of St. Bernards Episcopal Church in Bernardsville, New Jersey and Grace Episcopal Church in Kilmarnock, Virginia. In addition, she served in many volunteer capacities at both churches as well as Historic Christ Church in Weems, Virginia and the Mary Ball Washington Museum in Lancaster, Virginia. Gibby will be remembered and cherished for her warm smile, her gracious manner and her loving heart.
She is survived by her son, John W. Eppler and his wife Dianne of Norfolk, Virginia, her son Thomas D. Eppler and his wife Jean of Venice, Florida, her son James L. Eppler and his wife Kay of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. She is also survived by her grandchildren Sarah Bruber and her husband John of Richmond, Virginia, Gibson Hall and her husband Chris of Norfolk, Virginia, John W. Eppler, Jr. of Richmond, Virginia, Martha Cohen and her husband Sam of Richmond, Virginia, and Rebecca Eppler of Washington, DC. She is also survived by four great grandchildren, Olivia Gibson Bruber, Graham Franklin Bruber, Maxwell Sterling Cohen and Vaughan Louis Cohen. In addition, she is survived by her sister, Amy D. Bruce of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The family would like to thank her longtime caregiver and friend Mary Henderson of Lancaster, Virginia and Lucy Martin of Kilmarnock, Virginia for their companionship and kindness. In lieu of flowers the family requests any donations be made to Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury,132 Lancaster Drive, Irvington, VA 22480 or Grace Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 1059, Kilmarnock, VA 22482 or the Historic Christ Church Foundation, P. O. Box 24, Irvington, VA 22480.