Beryl Ann Gibb (Anthony) Obituary

Beryl Ann Anthony, nee Gibb, 81, of 1101 35th Street, Downers Grove, Illinois died Thursday 2 February at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Illinois, after suffering a stroke the week prior. Her contagious laugh and vibrant character will always be remembered by all who knew her. Beryl was born on 6 November 1930, the only child of Kenneth Gibb and Wilma (Burke) Gibb, and in the same hospital in Staten Island, New York City as her future husband, John Anthony. As infants, the two may have even crossed paths as they were born only 9 days apart (new mothers then typically stayed in the hospital for 10 days after giving birth). Both Beryl and John grew up on Staten Island, Beryl on Nassau Street near the intersection with Franklin Avenue in the West New Brighton neighborhood, in the home that was her maternal grandparents. Beryl met John in the summer of 1948 when John got her attention at the beach by tossing pebbles at her. The two married in May of 1953, directly before John left for the Korean war. Beryl worked as a secretary for the Clark Estates in New York City from 1950-1960 and after marriage lived in Bound Brook, New Jersey, before John designed and help build a home for her on Ridge Road in the Spring Run subdivision in Martinsville, New Jersey. Unable to have children, in 1957 the couple applied to adopt a child with the Spence-Chapin adoption agency in Manhattan. In May of 1961 they brought home their infant son and named him John Kenneth. Later, in 1964 Beryl at the age of 33 and after almost 10 years of marriage became pregnant and gave birth for the only time. Carl David was brought home from the hospital in Somerville, New Jersey in October, 1964. In 1969 John was transferred from New Jersey to Chicago, and the family bought a new house in the Orchard Brook subdivision at 1101 35th Street in Downers Grove. Beryl was the better and more moderate half to the intense John, and loved cooking, music, plants and animals, including her dachsunds Ludwig and Snoopy and above all, her friends and family. She volunteered beginning in the 1970s for the well-baby clinic, eventually becoming its director. In 2009 she was stunned to learn learn that her first sons mother has lived since 1968 less than 700 feet away from her childhood home in Staten Island, on a small street with 65 homes in the midst of the largest American city! In August 2010 she was given pictures and details of her first sons natural family. She is sorely missed by her many friends and especially by her husband John, Her sons John Kenneth Anthony Howard of New Mexico, Dr. Carl David Anthony and partner Cari Ann Hickerson of Cleveland Heights, Ohio and by her grandson Edwin Roy Wicknick Anthony of Montevallo, Alabama. She was predeceased by her parents. All services will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Downers Grove, IL (1032 Maple Ave., 60515) where Beryl has been a member since 1969. Visitation (at the church) will be on Saturday, 11 February from 2-4 pm and a service will follow immediately thereafter (also at the church). Flowers or donations may be sent to the church in Beryl's name.