Elden Dean Gibb

1944 – 2022

Elden Dean Gibb passed away, in his home, on July 17, 2022. He died of natural causes at the age of 78. Elden was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, at Holy Cross Hospital. He grew up in the Harvard Yale neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah with his parents (Wanda & Dale Gibb), four older brothers (Ron, Lawrence, Doug, & Grant), and one younger sister (Sharon). He was one of the youngest and had to both fight and charm his way through growing up. His mom was one of the calmest and kindest people around. His dad was tough but also very sweet at times. Elden had many great traits. He was kind, funny, sweet, and proud. He had a great imagination. He would fight with a teddy bear and win. He always had lots of friends and would play outside all day until he was called in for dinner. He broke his leg when he was three years old while playing with his brother Grant on an old trailer. It tipped over and fell on his leg.  He loved eating peanut butter and honey toast with cold milk. Playing 5 horses by shooting a basketball off the roof was a childhood highlight and he always won. He looked so cute in his brown corduroy suit that he wore to church. He would tease his little sister Sharon relentlessly, but she learned to tease him back. Watching Saturday morning cartoons was great fun. He had the same best friends for his whole life, Dwight Holt, being one of his closest. He graduated from East High School. He always dated the cutest girls.

One of those cute girls was DeeAnn Bylund. Elden and DeeAnn married on June 15, 1967. They lived in SLC while he was a student at the University of Utah. He then attended Weber State University and graduated. Shortly after welcoming their first daughter Jennifer, Elden was drafted into the US Army, where he served for four months as an infantryman in Vietnam. He was injured and returned to a military hospital in Denver, Colorado. He served the remainder of his two-year service in Colorado Springs having received the Purple Heart. After his honorable discharge, he and his wife, purchased their first home in the Salt Lake City neighborhood where Elden grew up. They welcomed three more daughters, Rebecca, Candace & Amy, into their family, which brought Elden much joy. His daughters have fond memories of dancing with their father to his music albums, playing with the dogs that Elden loved, and living close to their many aunts, uncles, and cousins. A few years later, their young family sold their home and moved to Huntington, Utah after Elden and three of his brothers purchased a 20-acre farm. During his time in Huntington, Elden worked as a Deputy Sheriff while enjoying his love for wide open spaces and horses. This marriage ended in divorce.

Later Elden married Linda O’Neill. They were together from 1983 – 2012. They had two children, Samantha Gibb and Cody James Gibb. Losing Cody as a young man was tragic and heartbreaking for Elden and the family. Elden shared his love of music and animals with his family. Little kids loved him. He had an impressive cowboy boot collection. He loved taking his family to Sizzler. This marriage ended in divorce.  

Elden loved everything cowboy and would never go anywhere without his beloved cowboy hat. He would ski down the slopes with his kids while keeping his cowboy hat intact. He loved snow skiing, all sports, every dog, especially his surviving dog, Dude, that became part of his family. When the 2002 Winter Olympics needed a security guard, he was right there to help and enjoyed it.  Every day he loved listening to his many records from his 60’s and 70’s record collection (he may have become Willie Nelson). He taught to love all people and never be quick to judge. He was simple in the way he lived his life and had a quick wit that made others laugh.

Elden is survived by his ex-wife DeeAnn Bylund Gibb Mitchell, daughters; Jennifer Gibb Agle, Rebecca Gibb Hegerhorst, Candace Gibb Hafen, Amy Joanne Gibb, Ex-wife Linda O’Neill, children, Samantha Gibb. Brothers; Lawrence Dale Gibb, Grant Lowell Gibb, and sister, Sharon Gibb Aldous. Stepmother Lois Gibb, half-brother, JJ Gibb. He has 13 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Elden was preceded in death by his parents Wanda M. Coleman and Dale S. Gibb, brothers; John Douglas Gibb, and Ronald Coleman Gibb, half-sister Tracy Weimer and son Cody James Gibb.

Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, August 9th at 9 AM at the Utah Veterans Memorial Park, 17111 So. 1700 W. Bluffdale, Utah 84065

Arrangements in care of Dalton-Hoopes Funeral Home & Cremation Center. 435-884-3031