Harold "Denny" Gibson

Harold Dennis “Denny” Gibson, 77, of Woodland Park, Colorado, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, February 1, 2026, surrounded by family.

Denny was born on Easter Sunday, March 28, 1948, in Pikeville, Kentucky, to the late Bruce Gibson Jr. and Sarah (Adkins) Gibson. He was the beloved husband of Cecilia “Cil” Gibson, with whom he shared 52 devoted years of marriage.

Denny grew up in several places, including Pikeville, Kentucky; Indianapolis, Indiana; Columbus, Ohio; Lynchburg, Virginia; Durham, North Carolina; and Detroit, Michigan. As a teenager, he worked in the family tree business before being drafted into the United States Army at the age of 19. He served three tours in Vietnam and went on to complete a distinguished 20-year career in the Army, retiring as a Captain. For his service and sacrifice, Denny was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and two Purple Hearts, among many other military honors.

During his military service, Denny earned his Bachelor’s degree, and following his retirement from the Army, he went on to earn his Master’s degree—an achievement he took great pride in.

After leaving military service, Denny ran his own logging and firewood business and later devoted decades to public service in Colorado. Denny lived in Westcreek for 44 years, volunteering countless hours with the local water board and helping his community whenever help was needed.

Denny worked for Douglas County for 20 years as their Operations Director.  He was especially proud of the many county buildings he oversaw the construction of and of the county’s response and cleanup efforts from the Hayman Fire. After retiring from Douglas County, Denny operated his own excavation company, focusing much of his work on cleanup and flood mitigation following the Waldo Canyon Fire. Unable to stay retired, he took a part time role as the Public Works Director for Park County.

In his personal life, Denny enjoyed skiing, hockey, fishing, hunting, and traveling with Cil. One of his most meaningful moments was being baptized alongside two of his granddaughters—a memory cherished deeply by his family.

Above all else, Denny’s greatest pride and joy was his grandchildren. He prioritized time with them over work and anything else that competed for his attention. He loved picking them up after school, taking them for car rides, picnics, or wherever the day led. He especially cherished attending their activities, camping and ATVing with them, and sharing many memorable family vacations.

In addition to his wife, Cil, Denny is survived by his four sons: Geoff Gibson, Greg Gibson, Garrett Gibson, and Geremy Gibson (Jennifer); six grandchildren: Rylan Gibson, Reagan Gibson, Jordyn Gibson, Caysen Gibson, Peyton Gibson, and Jackson Gibson; his sister, Bernadette Griffith (Charles); his brothers, Winston Gibson (Connie), James Gibson (Lea), and George Gibson (Lisa); sisters-in-law Linda Gibson and Angie Gibson; and brother-in-law Daniel Rieger.

Denny will be remembered for his unwavering sense of duty, his quiet strength, his deep love for his family, and his lifelong commitment to serving others. His legacy lives on through the communities he helped build and protect, and through the family he loved so dearly.

In lieu of sending flowers, the family is asking for donations to either:

* The American Liver Foundation in memory of Denny at: https://liverfoundation.org/

* The Woodland Park Hockey Association in memory of Denny, checks can be mailed to: Woodland Park Hockey Association: PO BOX 5923, Woodland Park, CO 80866

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