Family finds body of man who died in motorcycle accident
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

Ned Gibbs

After searching for hours recently, family and friends found the broken body of Ned Gibbs under some shrubbery near the 101 Freeway at Lynn Road.

The 55-year-old father of 15 children was believed to be heading on his motorcycle from his Newbury Park home to his job in Chatsworth at around 6 a.m. on Wed., Sept. 13.

According to a CHP report, Gibbs died in a solo motorcycle accident.

"Mr. Gibbs was traveling on Lynn Road northbound and was negotiating the U.S. 101 southbound onramp when for unknown reasons, he lost control of his motorcycle, a 2003 Yamaha," the CHP report stated.

Gibbs, who was wearing a helmet and protective clothing, was thrown from the roadway, falling from his motorcycle into heavy shrubbery on the east side of the roadway, the CHP report continued.

According to his daughter Ginger Gibbs Brea, her mother, Debbie Gibbs, knew something was wrong early in the day when her husband of 37 years, who usually phoned her from work after a regular 7:30 a.m. meeting, did not call.

When Debbie phoned him that afternoon and he didn't call back, she checked his cellphone messages and discovered one from his work questioning why he hadn't come in that day, Brea said.

Debbie Gibbs filed a missing persons report with the police and then made calls for help to her family, friends and members of her family's church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, said Brea. By 2 p.m. the family was searching for him. By 5 p.m. about 150 church members and friends were organized and searching for him too. At around 7 p.m. his body was found, almost hidden from sight by shrubs, Brea said.

"The autopsy said his neck was broken and he died instantly," she said.

Gibbs is survived by 15 children and 16 grandchildren. His children's ages range from 13 to 36. Nathan is the oldest, followed by Matthew, Amber Johnson, Ginger Brea, Kimberly, Heather Johnson, Cameron, Julia, Lora Kelly, Vaughn, Byron, Paul, Sam, Heidi and Maryanne.

"We're all single births from the same two parents-people always ask that," said Brea.

Gibbs served in the U.S. Navy for eight years and attended Brigham Young University, where he received a bachelor's degree in manufacturing engineering technology.

He was the young men's president at his ward, a congregation of his church. He loved to surf and ride his motorcycle, but his passions were his wife, children and his Heavenly Father, Brea said.

"What is helping us get through this is our faith and knowledge we will see him again because we know that families are forever and that gives us peace and comfort," his daughter said.