Faye L. Gibbens

Faye Gibbens, 70, co-founder and longtime officer of the North Dakota Association for the Disabled (NDAD), died Saturday, Feb. 1, at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks. Inspired by their son, Mike, who was born with cerebral palsy, Faye Gibbens and her husband of nearly 50 years, Ron, built NDAD from a small Grand Forks support group to a statewide charitable nonprofit helping North Dakotans with a variety of disabilities and health challenges. She created, expanded and oversaw NDAD's client services as director and later chief program officer until her retirement in 2013, and she also provided assistance and input for the agency's charitable gaming operations since their debut in 1982. Faye Lavonne Lynse was born on Oct. 6, 1943, the daughter of Roald and Doris (Jacobson) Lysne. She was raised in rural Harlow, N.D., attended Benson County Agricultural and Training School in Maddock and, in 1961, graduated from Maddock High School. She graduated with an Associate Degree in Teaching from Valley City (N.D.) State College in 1963. Faye met Ron Gibbens, from rural Cando, N.D., at a Quonset dance near Churchs Ferry, N.D., in 1963. They married the following year, on May 31, in Harlow. Faye taught a year of elementary school at Carrington, N.D., two more years at Portland, N.D., and two years in Maddock. The Gibbens' son, Michael, was born in 1967. Because Michael was born with cerebral palsy, the Gibbens decided to seek work in a larger community where more facilities and services were available for their young son. Toward the middle 1970s, Faye and Ron Gibbens took steps to form a support group that would gather other parents, relatives and others helping children and adults with disabilities to share information and to discuss common issues and concerns. The group took root and gained official non-profit status in 1975 as the North Dakota Association for the Disabled, Inc., then became a 501c(3) charitable organization the following year. The fledgling organization provided information and referral services, particularly for people with disabilities who were unable to find services or workable solutions elsewhere. Faye worked as a volunteer at NDAD while holding other jobs into the latter 1980s. She opened and managed The Record Shop in Columbia Mall and then worked as manager of a Grand Forks personnel agency before joining UND as a Student Services outreach counselor. Until her retirement last year, Faye Gibbens also was executive director of Citizens Assistance Program (CAP), a separate nonprofit that identifies and extends services to mentally, physically or otherwise disadvantaged people who are likely to become victims of neglect or exploitation. With Faye Gibbens' guidance, NDAD had grown to offices in Grand Forks, Minot, Fargo and Williston and charitable gaming operations in Grand Forks, Minot, Fargo and Bismarck. CAP, also based in Grand Forks, has operations in Williston. Faye is survived by her husband Ronald; son, Mike; brother, Mark Lysne of Maddock, N.D.; sisters, Joan Gilbertson and Gail (Wendell) Grondahl, both of Maddock; brother-in-law, Doug (Teresa) Gibbens of Cando, N.D.; nieces and nephews, Michelle, Rochelle, Janelle, Brent, Robin, Brian, Jeremy, Troy, Heather, Ryan and Wes; and 10 great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roald and Doris Lysne; mother and father-in-law, Willard and Pearl Gibbens and a brother-in-law, Bob Gibbens. Funeral services will be Friday, Feb. 7, 2014, at 11 a.m. in Sharon Lutheran Church, 1720 S. 20th St., Grand Forks. Visitation will be for one hour before the service in the church. Interment will be in the Harlow Cemetery, Harlow, N.D. at a later date. More information about the life of Faye Gibbens is available at NDAD.org.