Lawrence D. Gibson

Lawrence D. Gibson (5/9/27-10/18/16)

Age 89 and in the peak of health, he died senselessly in a traffic incident this week.

Larry’s was a life richly lived, filled with an almost inexhaustible range of interests, involvements and passions.

First and foremost, Larry was a passionately devoted family man. With Lois Kestenbaum Gibson, his life partner of 68 years, they raised five children, and were enormously proud of each of them.

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Larry received his B.S. from The Ohio State University, and went on at Ohio State to earn his MBA Summa Cum Laude.

Combining his expertise with numbers and his intense interest in consumer behavior, Larry entered the field of Marketing Research, where he became a true pioneer. Through management positions at Dun & Bradstreet, Corn Products, and Audits and Surveys; and then as Director of Marketing Research at General Mills for 20 years, and a Senior Partner at Eric Marder & Associates, he continually challenged market research orthodoxy, earning industry-wide respect for his research and insights.

He was a National Board Member of the American Marketing Association and a member of the Editorial Review Board and the Marketing Science Institute; and an editor of Marketing Research.
He also served on The Conference Board, and as Chair, Marketing Research Council, and Chair, Association of National Advertisers’ Research Committee.

Larry was also passionately devoted to his Jewish faith as a congregant, leader, and activist. A member of Temple Israel in Minneapolis for 50 years, he served as a Vice President, board member, and sang in the temple choir. As a 30-year member of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), he fought tirelessly for human rights and religious tolerance. Upon his departure, JCRC created the Lawrence D. Gibson Interfaith Social Justice Award to honor that advocacy and commitment. And serving on the Jewish Relations Legislative Council, Larry helped guide and shape legislation for the good of both the Jewish and Interfaith communities.

Larry’s innate intellectual curiosity led him to become both an avid Civil War buff – visiting historic battle sites every year with his best friend – and a lifelong student of Zen Buddhism – or what he liked to call, Zen Judaism. Somehow he also found time to spend 47 summers sailing his Day Sailer on Lake Harriet.

Still, with all his accomplishments over his 89 years, he was perhaps most proud of his 36 years helping people from all walks of life deal with substance abuse.

Larry is survived by his wife, Lois, sister, Frances Grimes (Ed); Five children: Stuart (Adrienne) Gibson, Richard (Cheryl) Gibson, James (Barbara) Gibson, Mark (Kirstin) Gibson, and Jessica Cook (John); Seven grandchildren: Elyse Ash (Brad), Rebecca Gibson, Micah Gibson (Catherine), Avi Gibson, David Gibson, Sam Gibson, and Paula Gibson. And one great-grandchild, Noa Gibson.

His friends, associates, colleagues and especially his family will miss him dearly.

A Funeral service will be held THURSDAY 10 AM, at TEMPLE ISRAEL, 2324 Emerson Avenue South, Minneapolisl, Minnesota 55405

Memorials in Lawrence D. Gibson’s name may be made to
“The Gibson Family Reform Education Fund” at Temple Israel.

A gathering of family and friends will take place on Thursday, 7:00 pm, at Temple Israel.