Therese Diane Gibbon, the daughter of the late William and Imogene Jones-Gibbon, was born in Richmond, Virginia on November 21, 1953.

Raised in Richmond, Virginia, she chose teaching as her livelihood. She earned her Associate of Science degree in education from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. Upon taking residence in Harrisonburg, Virginia, she went on to operate her own state funded childcare, in her home. She attended Calvary Assembly of God in Staunton, Virginia, where she taught Sunday school for twelve years. She was also a faithful member of Calvary's church choir.

On June 21, 1991, she received Christ as her Lord and Savior and further dedicated herself to the Lord as well as to those in need.

She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of thirty-nine years, Ronald Purnell; stepfather Reuben Branch; sons Terrell Jenkins (Dionne) and Ronnie Purnell (Brittany); sisters Lynette Gibbon, Tara McGilvery (Glenn), Tonya Foster (Duane); brothers David Branch, Dwight Hargrove (Cheryl), and Hakiim Fontaine; grandchildren Matthew, Marcus, Jazlynn, LaChristian, Hendrix, Zariah, and a host of nieces and nephews; special friends Nadia Brown, Shirley Humphreys, Mary Melton, Dianne Garner and a host of other friends and family.

She is preceded in death by her brothers Nathaniel (Bubbie) Gibbon and Michael Fontaine.