Russell Kent Gibbs, 59

Antioch resident and Warren County native, Russell Kent Gibbs, 59, was born on Aug. 1, 1966 and died peacefully on Feb. 19, 2026 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville following a brief illness. He was of the Christian faith and an avid University of Tennessee Volunteers fan. He was preceded in death by his parents Edward M. Gibbs and Marie Tittsworth Gibbs.

Mr. Gibbs is survived by his step mother, Bertha Coppinger Gibbs of McMinnville, two brothers, Gary Gibbs (Laura Horton) of Morrison, and Bryson Gibbs (Cory Crowther) of Durham, N.C., two step-sisters, Lisa Harvey of McMinnville and Sue Royal of Muncie, Ind., special niece Lindsey Gibbs Sjoberg of Höllviken, Sweden, special friends Scott Jones and Barry Workman of Nashville and many other family and friends.

Kent was the kind of person who left an imprint on every heart he touched. His magnetic, outgoing spirit drew people in effortlessly, and he truly never met a stranger—only friends he hadn’t made yet. He had a rare, God-given gift for laughter, the kind that filled a room and lifted even the heaviest of days. When Kent was near, joy followed.

He reminded us all not to take life too seriously, to cherish connection, and to find reasons to smile even in the smallest moments. The world feels quieter without his voice and dimmer without his light, but the warmth he gave so freely will live on in the stories we share and the love he leaves behind.

Mr. Gibbs will be cremated per his wishes, and a Celebration of Life will be planned for a later date.

Memorial Donations may be made to Nashville Cares https://tinyurl.com/j8x9js68 or The Huntington’s Disease Society of America https://give.hdsa.org/campaign/740121/donate.

Main Street Journal

Feb. 24, 2026