Patricia K. Gipson

Patricia K. Gipson
1943 -2026

In 1943, in Stockton California, Patricia Kay Gipson (Pat) entered the world as a Christmas day gift to her parents, Vernon and Ardis Spalding. For seven years, she was an only child, but then six more children arrived: Gail, Craig, Thom, Jill, Kay and Chris. Pat enjoyed having brothers and sisters and often helped with their care.

As a student at Michigan State University in the early 1960s, Pat embraced the idealism of John F. Kennedy and the civil rights work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She traveled with a group of MSU students to Holly Springs, Mississippi to tutor incoming freshmen at the HBCU, Rust College. She then worked as a Resource teacher in the pioneering 1966 Head Start program funded by the Child Development Group of Mississippi. Pat also registered voters and walked with Dr. King in the continuation of James Meridith’s March Against Fear.

Patricia married a fellow civil rights activist, Shelby Gipson. They bought a farm in Slayden, Mississippi where he grew soybeans, and Patricia worked as a teacher and then a library media specialist at C.A.D.E.T. School (and later Sand Flat). They had two daughters, Adele and Tanya.

During her career in education, Pat earned two master’s degrees, one in Education at Michigan State University and the second at the University of Mississippi, in Library Media Sciences.

After 15 years of marriage, Pat and Shelby divorced. Once she became an empty nester, she bought a used suburban and a 30-foot travel trailer, and headed, solo, on a year-long excursion to Arizona and New Mexico. When she turned 60, her daughters gifted her with a trip to Greece. Afterward, Pat became a world traveler, visiting 23 countries.

At home, Pat enjoyed reading, gardening, volunteering at the Wylde Center, a community garden in Decatur, Georgia and writing letters to friends and family.

Pat transitioned peacefully on January 5th, 2026. She leaves a legacy of two daughters, Adele Gipson (Sybil) and Tanya Cannaday (Michael); siblings, Gail Wistie (Ed), Craig Spalding (Sandra), Thom Spalding (Grace), Jill Slater (Bruce), Kay Ryde (Frank) and Chris Spalding (Maureen); a host of nieces and nephews, plus great nieces and nephews.

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