The Shadow
WEIMAR, Texas – James Milton Bibee, 82, of Weimar, Texas died suddenly Tuesday, February 16, 2009.
Mr. Bibee was born September 16, 1927 in Hendersonville, N.C., the only son of Theodore Raymond and Dorothy Day Kilgore Bibee who predeceased him in death. He spent his childhood years in Tampico, Mexico before moving with his family to Laurel, Miss. He graduated from George S. Gardiner High School of Laurel in 1945. Following a brief period of service in the U.S. Army, Mr. Bibee attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, graduating with a B.S. in Geology in 1950.
He was employed as an exploration geologist with Gulf Oil Corporation (later Chevron) for 34 years. At the time of his retirement he held the position of Vice President for International Exploration. Subsequently, he served as a consultant to the Trust Company of the West for 20 years.
Mr. Bibee is survived by Virginia May Estes Bibee, his wife of 59 years; two children, Douglas Vance Bibee and his wife, Mary of Granville, Ohio and Jamie Bibee Pharr of Covington; five grandchildren, Jonathan, Benjamin and Winston Bibee, Spencer and Virginia Pharr; and one great-grandson, Samuel Bibee.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Bonnie Day Bibee Frazier and is survived by two sisters Gloria Joyce Bibee Lea of Houston, Texas and Margaret May Bibee Hobgood of Austin, Texas and numerous nieces and nephews.
A long-time member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Mr. Bibee had held the offices of both Deacon and Ruling Elder. His life-long avocation was farming. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. An avid traveler, he traveled throughout this country and all over the world.
He was a member of the Lion’s Club of Weimar, served on the board of S.W.I.F.T and supported the University of Tennessee including 20 years on the Development Council and current membership on the Board of Visitors.
A memorial service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at First Presbyterian Church, La Grange, Texas at 2 p.m. Monday. Officiating at the service will be the Rev. Dr. Walter Lee.
The family will receive visitors at the home located at 1320 County Road 223 on Sunday from 2 until 4 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to First Presbyterian Church of La Grange, the Heritage Society Museum of Weimar, the Weimar Public Library, or the James and Virginia Bibee Scholarship in the Geology Dept. at the University of Tennessee (Development Office, 2527 Dunford Hall, Knoxville, Tenn. 37996-4050).
