Everett “Hoot” Gibbins, 87,of Williston, ND, formerly of the Buford, ND area, passed away at Minot Health and Rehab in Minot, ND, Thursday evening, May 30, 2019. His funeral arrangements are with Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home of Williston.

Hoot graduated from Williston High School in 1949 and joined the Army with Victor and younger brother Donny in 1950. Hoot landed in the heart of Korea where he earned several distinctions, including manning the M-50 and marksmanship.

After his stint in the Army, Hoot worked at a service station. There he met Vonnie (Baye) Crigger and they were wed in Sidney, Montana on May 2, 1956. Together Hoot and Vonnie raised six children: Kathy, Judy, Everett, Jr., Vicki, Connie and Jean. The family began on a small acreage east of Williston (“the Coal Mine Place”) and settled in the Buford valley on June 1, 1969, where they expanded their farming/ranching operation. Vonnie passed away in 1988.

Hoot was a colorful character and generally ready to make a deal. He worked for Westland Oil beginning in 1958 and retired fifty-two years later from the company which had become Flying J. Hoot met Yvonne J. Liesener and they were married on June 10, 2005. They resided on the farm until moving to Williston in 2010. During their marriage, Hoot and Yvonne traveled to Louisiana and Georgia. Hoot was a card player with Poker being his game. He made it to Las Vegas where he competed by sponsoring a friend. He was a regular at the Township Hall poker games for years.

Hoot was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Vonnie, son Everett, Jr., daughters Vicki (Wahl), and Jean (Turcotte); his parents; brothers Victor, Philip, Joey, and Paul; sisters Vivian and Marlys.; and great grandsons Michael Everett Horton and Bernard Wahl.

Survivors include his wife Yvonne; daughters Kathy(Mark) Hoefs, Judy (Leonard) Mattern, Connie (Robert) Ferrell and Linda (Kim) Johnson; grandchildren Sam Horton, Max Long, Melissa Bramhall; Shawn Wahl, Amanda Helgoth, Gary Long, Jr., Charmayne Weinmann, Caleb Turcotte, Kinzi Ferrell, Ian Ferrell, Lucas Johnson, Lane Johnson, Lance Johnson; 12 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild; brother Donny Gibbins; and numerous nieces and nephews.