Janet Faye Gibson Allen

Janet Faye Gibson Allen, beloved wife, daughter and friend, left this world unexpectedly to be with Jesus Christ in Paradise, on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Janet was born at Dauterive Hospital of New Iberia, La. on Aug. 24, 1956, to Billy Flemming Gibson and Willie Faye Wells Gibson. Janet is parents met at Grande Isle, La. where Willie was working as a radio operator for The Humble Oil Company. Billy, fresh from a hitch with the United States Marine Corp, came to the company camp hiring out as rig hand. Billy and Willie fell in love and were married; about a year later Janet came to be with them. Willie stopped her work as a radio operator to become a fulltime wife and mother. Billy continued with the company helping in a historic move, of the oil and gas industry, from land based production to offshore based production in the Gulf of Mexico. At this time momma Willie and daddy Billy began to see that little Janet had a love for animals, so a little dog named Pixie joined the family. A few years later Janet, Pixie and parents moved up to New Iberia to be nearer to Willie's mother Mrs. Oscar Willie Wells, and where Janet could begin public schooling. As Janet grew and daddy Billy gained seniority and time off, the family would take camping trips into the hills of the Carolinas, Tennessee and Arkansas. Janet, at age 10, in the First Baptist Church of New Iberia, La., was baptized in The Name of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. When Janet got big enough the family began taking small on road/off road motorbikes with them on their camping trips. By Janet’s teenage years she became a skilled enduro motorcycle racer competing in events in several states. Janet also became an expert swimmer and lifeguard. Billy, still rising in the ranks with Humble Oil, which by then had become Exxon Oil Company, would take his family on month long summer vacations across a good share of the U.S. and Canada, at times taking grandmother Mrs. Wells and a cousin or two with them. It was on one of these trips that the family happened to return by way of Colorado and discovered the Gunnison River Basin and pitched camp at the head of Middle Quartz Creek. This place would become a favorite camp site where Janet, momma Willie, daddy Billy and the rest of the family would come back to for decades. Janet finished her public schooling at New Iberia High School, graduating in 1974. Billy and Willie decided to send Janet to college at The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, after a year there, Janet moved north to the northeast Louisiana University, College of Pharmacy at Monroe. Janet earned her degree there, graduating with honors in 1980. Janet, with the new degree in hand, soon found work in Denver area hospitals, sometimes working two jobs at once because she liked the work. However after a series of break-ins on a new car that she had bought; daddy Billy and momma Willie decided that Denver was not a safe place for a young lady alone. The family knew about small town Gunnison, so daddy Billy and momma Willie encouraged Janet to find new work there and soon Janet had two new jobs, at the same time, at Gunnison County Hospital and Blackstock's Pharmacy. In 1986 after 33 years with the company, Billy, having risen to the rank of Field Superintendent, decided it was time for him to retire, so daddy Billy and momma Willie headed out for Gunnison, Colo. Billy and Willie found a house at 71 Navajo Lane in Tomichi Heights where they live to this day. It was here in Gunnison, in 1986, that Janet met her husband to be, Robert Timothy Allen, the son of Tim and Anne Allen offspring of Gunnison Basin pioneers. The following year, July 17, 1987 Janet and Robert were married in the Church of The Good Samaritan, by Priest Ross Holcomb Blackstock, who incidentally was Robert’s uncle. Janet and Robert began their new lives together with numerous cats, dogs and horses which they enjoyed immensely. In 2004 the couple bought property near the head of Lost Canyon and began building their long dreamed of backcountry home. In June of 2007 Janet and Robert moved into their new home, surrounded by their animals both tame and wild, furred and feathered. Janet and Robert faced trials, tribulations and the joys of life together. Janet is so sadly missed by husband Robert, daddy Billy, momma Willie, family and many friends.

Gunnison Country Times

218 N. Wisconsin Street
Gunnison, CO 81230
Phone: 970-641-1414