Suzanne Gibson

Suzanne Gibson, age 79, was born November 23, 1945, in Paxton, IL, she passed away peacefully on January 23, 2025.

Suzanne was a graduate of Valparaiso University (BA), the University of Illinois, Jane Addams Graduate School of Social Work (MSW) and Greenwich University, PhD. Professionally she was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She was a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) and a Diplomate in Clinical Social Work which represents the highest level of expertise and excellence for LCSWs.

Suzanne lived a life of service. She served on the Board of Directors of the Barrington Area Refugee Fund where she assisted unaccompanied minors from Southeast Asia in transitioning to their new lives in the United States, and served on the Board of Directors of the Barrington Youth and Family Services.

Suzanne worked to help coordinate a mentoring program at Holy Family School in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago where she helped recruit and train young adult professionals to be mentors to 8th grade students to assist them in the high school application process and build social capital.

Suzanne was named Rotarian of the Year (2011), served as President for the Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club, International Chair and Membership Chair from 2012-2013. She received the Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club’s President’s Citation for Outstanding Service and Dedication Award (2015- 2016) and the District 6440 Shining Light Award in recognition of humanitarian service (2015).

She led vocational training teams to Guatemala to introduce the health benefits of soy products and microenterprise skills to women in Sumpango, Sacatepequez, Guatemala. She served in her district as Assistant Governor, Community Services Advisory Chair, and was District Governor from 2019-2020.

She led multiple global grants including a lab tech school for young women in Guatemala and to start a dental assistant program. She helped guide several global grants in Taiwan for tutoring students and for helping older people with dementia.

She participated in friendship exchanges to South Africa and Taiwan.

Other projects included the installation of a peace bench in Jaipur, India, and participation in a National Immunization Day in India to help vaccinate children against polio.

She was passionate about a project to plant breadfruit trees in Guatemala to help with nutrition, economic development and reforestation.

Suzanne enjoyed traveling (the seven continents), running, walking, golfing, bicycling, reading, genealogy research and spending time with her children, grandchildren and extended family.

Suzanne is survived by her daughter, Kristin Kirk, son, Robert Gibson (Talia), three granddaughters, Eliana, Noa and Annie, and her siblings Greg Sites (Joyce), Carolyn Miller (Jim), and Janet Cheverud (Jim).

She is preceded in death by her husband, Mark, her son Jonathan, and her parents Robert and Ardene (née Stroup) Sites.

Suzanne was a blessing to her family, her friends, her community and the world. She touched many lives with kindness in both her professional and personal lives.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to be made in Suzanne’s honor to the Rotary Foundation to continue her passion for doing good in the world. To send a check: Barrington Rotary club foundation, PO Box 1442, Barrington, IL 60011 - Indicate it is for Suzanne Gibson’s memorial

Zelle payments can be sent to : Info@barringtonrotary.org

Indicate it is for Suzanne Gibson’s memorial