MaryAnn Bird Mathews

MaryAnn Bird Mathews passed away December 2nd, 2020 peacefully at her home. MaryAnn was born March 7th, 1950 in Albuquerque, NM. She attended Holy Ghost Elementary School and then St Pius X High School where she was on the swim team and was a cheerleader. After graduating in 1968 she went on to attend UNM and obtain a certificate in Dental Assisting. She then worked for the Veteran's Administration and at the Vet's Hospital in Albuquerque. While there she met and married Leslie Gibson in 1971. After having her twin boys in 1974, and daughter in 1978, she worked at home and was active with the family in 4-H and with the Farm Bureau. In 1987 she went back to full time work for the government with the Bureau of Land Management. BLM employed MaryAnn at their front desk as she was wonderful with the public, as a Range Clerk, as a representative for the Wild Horse and Burro program (she even adopted one of the wild horses), she was also a Management Assistant. She worked for a time with the Bureau of Reclamation in Socorro and in Albuquerque before going back to BLM to manage Operations, Labor Crew where she became their "mother hen". She retired at the end of 2012 to spend time with her children and grandchildren. She was always very supportive of her children and grandchildren in their activities, whether it was baseball, 4-H, rodeo, roping, raising and showing livestock animals, baking, sewing or anything they were interested in. She was extremely proud of her three children and their accomplishments as adults and her grandchildren and what they have done so far in their lives, too!
She loved to travel and was able to visit Mexico many times, Switzerland for a dental convention, Australia and New Zealand for a high school senior trip, Jamaica for a Christian medical mission, Costa Rica a few times with her friend, Elma Frieberg and Hawaii on a cruise with her sister.
MaryAnn Mathews was born MaryAnn Bird to Earl A. Bird and Margaret Wessels Bird. She was preceded in death by her father and mother and beloved Uncle John Wessels, siblings, Michael Bird, Tom Bird and Judy Staed. MaryAnn is survived by her children Tye Gibson and wife Julie of Los Lunas, NM, Todd Gibson and wife Callie of Los Lunas, NM and Jennifer Otero and husband Elmer of Tome, NM; her beloved grandchildren Karrisa Churchhill and husband Paul of Bayfield, CO, Marlo Noel and husband Todd of Albuquerque, NM, Leslie and Diego Otero of Tome, NM, Samantha, Zachary and Kathryn of Los Lunas, NM; her sister Betty Wellman and husband David of Albuquerque, NM; nephews Ethan Wellman and wife Nicole, Eric Wellman and wife Kait, and Elliott Wellman and wife Tiffany; great nieces and nephews Kai, Rhys, Nova and Lexi Wellman. Services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers please donate to the New Mexico Junior Livestock Foundation.