The owner of Gibson’s Bakery, Allyn W. Gibson, died on Saturday, Feb. 12 at the age of 93. Allyn’s passing was announced on the bakery’s Facebook page the following day.

“With a heavy heart, we say goodbye to Allyn W. Gibson,” the Feb. 13 post read. “He passed yesterday during baker’s hours. … Mr. Gibson was one of the most kind and genuine individuals we have ever known. He will be greatly missed.”

Allyn was a long-standing pillar of the Oberlin community, graduating from Oberlin High School, before attending The Ohio State University. Allyn married Melba Mason in 1948, and they remained happily married for 51 years, until her passing.

In 2019, the Gibson family was awarded $44 million — later capped at $25 million under Ohio law — in the Gibson’s Bakery v. Oberlin College case against the College and former Vice President and Dean of Students Meredith Raimondo.

Allyn was preceded in death by his parents, Burt and Leota (Goodrich) Gibson; wife, Melba; and son and bakery co-owner David Gibson, who died in 2019. He is survived by sons Rick and Don, nine grandchildren, and 16 great- grandchildren.

Family and friends gathered to pay their respects to Allyn on Thursday, Feb. 17, at The First Church in Oberlin, and held a memorial service in his honor on Friday, Feb. 18, also at First Church.