PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Douglas Calvin Bibens, 65, husband of Sarah Woody Bibens and father of Emily Chung, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Katie Marrett, Fort Myers Beach, Florida, and Missoula, Montana, ended his journey on Earth on Feb. 7, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, diagnosed in late October 2021. Doug thought life should be a collection of interesting, unique experiences and events, so he felt receiving antibody treatment by the world-class staff at the Mayo Clinic in Florida added to that collection. With the support of Community Hospice, he was lovingly cared for by Sarah, Emily and Katie along with his sons-in-law Christopher and Scott, and grandchildren Elizabeth and Gordie who devoted the past three months to being with him in Ponte Vedra Beach. They brought him joy each day.
Doug was a proud native of St. Joseph, an Eagle Scout and a track runner at Central High School, from which he graduated in 1974. He attended the University of Missouri where he majored in forest management, was a member of Delta Upsilon, and met Sarah the love of his life and his very best friend — to whom he was married for 42 years.
A self-proclaimed “Missouri donkey farmer,” he and Sarah raised their daughters on 44 acres northeast of St. Joseph. He taught them how to drive a tractor, canoed and fished with them on the pond, rode horses and shared his love of dogs with them, and taught them to sail “The Flo” on Smithville Lake, among so many other things. He was their Mr. Fun.
His collection of experiences included a great deal of travel in the United States and abroad. He traveled the world with Sarah, his daughters, and later his sons-in-law. He didn’t just see the world, he “did” the world. He skied in Japan; hiked in Patagonia and Switzerland; fly-fished in Ireland; kayaked in Alaska; drove through the countryside of Belize; sailed his family through the British Virgin Islands; took the helm of a canal boat through England, and much more.
Uil his diagnosis, he and Sarah were residing in Salida, Colorado, where he felt at home in the mountains while fly-fishing, skiing, mountain biking, kayaking and hiking. They enjoyed many miles on the road in their Sprinter van before making Ponte Vedra Beach their home.
Professionally, Doug served as president of Midland Steel Company and as president of Central Fabricators Association.
Doug is also survived by his mother, Mary Ann Bibens; two brothers; and Sarah’s five siblings, who had become Doug’s brothers and sisters.
He was preceded in death by his father, Calvin Bibens.
Doug was courageous and patient over the past few months and, in the end, was an organ donor who gave the gift of sight through the Lions Eye Institute.
A private celebration of life will be held in the mountains at a later date. For those wishing to honor Doug, the family asks that donations be made to the Central Colorado Conservancy, which focuses on protecting, conserving and restoring the lands and waters of Central Colorado (centralcoloradoconservancy.org).
As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.
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