James McCready “Mac” Gibson, son of Andrew Ross Gibson and Gertrude McCready, was born on August 21, 1927, delivered in the family home near Hardisty, Alberta, with the assistance of his grandmother, Marion, known for her mid-wife skills. He grew up on the farm as the oldest child with one sister and two brothers. A child of the depression and farm life, Mac was ingrained with a sense of duty, a commitment to hard work and Scottish prudence in money management.
His mother was a schoolteacher and imparted to Mac an interest in education which led to his first career as a teacher. He attended the University of Alberta for training in 1946-1947 and taught at Fletcher School (Falun) (1947-1948), Lakedell School (Wetaskiwin) (1948-1949) and Tinchebray School (Castor) (1949-1950). His teachers pay had risen to the mighty sum of $152.83 per month but he decided not to return to teaching that fall. A group of eight oil workers were boarding at Mac’s parents farm as the search for oil had come to the Hardisty area. They shared a vision of better pay and adventure in a new industry, so just before Christmas 1950, Mac began a career in the oil patch that defined him.
The oil industry was a passion for Mac. He kept careful notes of every well he drilled (we found them in his desk after his passing). He was the man with a camera at every family function, but a family slide show always contained as many rig pictures as kid pictures. Through all of Mac’s working years he maintained a connection to the farm. His family spent many weekends returning to the farm to help father Andy with the work.
In 1951 Mac was earning almost double his teachers salary working for Regent Drilling. Like all rig hands he moved from lease to lease, approximately every three weeks seeing many locations in Alberta. In 1952 a change of employer had Mac working for Arrow Drilling. While working in Hannah, Alberta, he first met Jean and Angus MacLean and continued to work with Angus until his fatal accident in September 1954. As a friend and co-worker with Angus, he maintained a relationship with his widow and young son. On April 9, 1956, Jean (West) MacLean and James “Mac” Gibson were married at Knox United Church in Edmonton.
Mac continued to work on the oil rigs after his marriage, adding children Julie and Douglas to the family while living in Edmonton, Edson, Berlin River, Buck Creek, Breton and back to Edmonton. In 1960 Mac accepted a job with the Energy Resources Conservation Board in Drayton Valley to provide a more stable family life and continued with the company until retirement in 1986. Five years in Drayton Valley, two in Calgary (where daughter Barbara arrived) and finally in the Edmonton office.
Despite his love for the industry, the job had changed along with the work ethic of a new generation, and he became frustrated enough to take early retirement. That was the start of an annual migration to the southern United States. What followed was 22 years of good times with new friends, spending the winter months in Hemet, California, After Jean’s passing in January, Mac remarked “they had a wonderful life” and those times in retirement figured large in that memory.
Mac was always happiest when he was being useful. In retirement he made friends with men of like mind. Helping Bob around his home in Hemet, doing maintenance at Carrington Village and, for many years, puttering and working at daughter Barb’s house.
Mac & Jean’s last home was at Lifestyles Terra Losa Assisted Living. Even after Jean was moved to more advanced care in the summer of 2024 Mac lived independently in his home. Robbed by time of his ability to be working at something, he still had the wherewithal to skunk his son and great-grand-daughter at three handed crib a mere three weeks before his passing. We believe he had a notion to go for one hundred, but a bout of RSV put him in Sturgeon hospital in early April and he never recovered, passing in the early morning of April 18, 2025.
It should be noted that the ability of Mac and Jean to live out their last days with all the comfort advanced age allows, was greatly facilitated by their daughter Barbara’s devotion to their care, over many years.
Mac and Jean will have their cremated remains interred together in the Metiskow Cemetery in a private family ceremony on May 17, 2025. Friends and family are invited to an informal sharing of their life at the Metiskow Hall from 2:30 to 4:30 on May 17th . Further details can be obtained by contacting one of their children.
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