Former UA head of Russian department dies at 75

Gibson spent a large part of her life at the University of Arizona. She earned bachelor's degree in chemistry from the UA in 1946.

After going on an agricultural tour with her husband through Russia, Gibson was inspired to learn the language. She returned to the states and was one of the original UA graduate students to receive a master's degree in the Russian language.

She even went so far as to earn a doctorate in Slavic linguistics at the University of Washington.

Her extensive UA teaching career began as a lecturer after receiving her original chemistry degree. Gibson started teaching Russian when she was a teaching assistant, and completing her graduate work, in the late 1960s and early 1970s; then worked as a lecturer from 1976 to 1978 and as an assistant professor until 1984.

She retired as the head of the UA Russian department because of health reasons in 1992.

Friends recall Gibson as a cheerful, positive person.

"She was a great lady and she meant a lot to a lot of people," said Mia Gay, conductor of the UA Balalaika Orchestra. "She always extended to others before herself."

As a member of the orchestra, Gibson played the balalaika, a Russian folk instrument.

"She was also a mentor and did the sewing for the costumes," Gay said. "The costumes were used for nine years."

The costumes were recycled for use by the dance department in 1989.

"Margaret played like a prima, she even brought students from the Russian department to the orchestra," Gay said.

"She did not demand perfection, but only your best because that is what she expected of herself," said Gibson's son, Roy.

She won numerous awards and honors, including induction into the Mortar Board Hall of Fame and winning the Joe Malik Arizona Slavic Studies Award. Gibson was the president of the Arizona chapter of Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society.

Gibson is survived by her two children, Roy and Ann Gibson; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and her brothers Paul James Bohannan and William Bohannan. The services will be today at Tucson Arizona North Stake Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 939 W. Chapala Drive, at 11 a.m.

Upon her request, donations will be forwarded to the American Lung Association.

Irene Hsiao can be reached via e-mail at Irene.Hsiao@wildcat.arizona.edu.