Mabel Jones Gabbott

Mabel JonesGabbott 1910 ~ 2004 Mabel Jones Gabbott, age 93, died February 13, 2004, at the Rocky Mtn. Care Center in Bountiful.
She was born October 23, 1910 in Malad, Idaho to Mary Lusk Jones and Bernard Jones.
She married J. Donald Gabbott on June 30, 1941.
They had five children.
Her husband, Don, died in May of 1976.
She was an accomplished poet and lyricist. In 1946 she was invited to submit hymn texts for a new LDS Church hymn book. Three of her texts were accepted, including "In Humility our Savior", which was sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in 1950 when the new hymn book was introduced. It has since become a much-loved hymn throughout the Church.
She went on to see many of her poems and songs published.

Besides the hymns in the Church hymn book, Mabel's songs appear in the Children's Song Book, many of which are familiar to children throughout the church, including "He Sent His Son" and "Baptism."
She served a mission in 1938 under

husband). After her mission in 1938 (in the Northwestern States (where she met her husband) she worked in Salt Lake City as a secretary to Elder LeGrand Richards.
In 1957 she was a manuscript editor for "The Children's Friend" magazine.
Then she joined the staff of "The Improvement Era" (later called the Ensign) magazine in 1965 where she was Editorial Assistant and contributing writer. She also served as a member of the MIA General Board at this time.
In 1973 the Church Music Committee began to revise and update the hymn book and Mabel served as the chairman of the text committee. After her retirement in 1975, Mabel continued to write and did some of her best work during this period. She was called to be Relief Society President of the Bountiful 1st ward in 1985 at the age of 75.

We all loved her deeply and will miss her very much. Mabel is survived by her five children: Cheryl Lea; Sue Ellen Dewey (David); John Richard (Anna Rae); W. Geoffrey (Margo); and Steven Bernard, 12 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Edward L. Jones (Lu) of Arizona and J Blair Jones (Carol) of Bountiful; Sister-in-law, Mary Lou Jones of Malad, ID, Brother-in-law, Don Castleton of Preston ID, and many nieces and nephews.