NATCHEZ — Retired teacher Shirley Gibson lives in a house of memories.

When The Dart landed on Gibson’s College Street house last week, Gibson, 76, was resting on a sofa that belonged to her grandmother.

“I don’t even know how old it is,” she said. “I remember seeing it at her house when I was a kid.”

Gibson’s two grandmothers reared here after she moved back to Natchez

Gibson’s house is filled with ornate lamps with hanging crystals, lavish chairs, wood-carved tables and even a large porcelain egg.

“Anything that looks different, I really go for it. I really love decorating, I might have missed my calling,” Gibson said laughing.

The Gibsons moved into their house in 1953 and added on twice and bought antique furniture through the years to decorate their house.

Gibson’s husband, Charles, died in 2002, and Gibson said the furniture her house really reminds her of him.

“It really does, she said. “I miss that old guy. My husband loved antiques. Anytime I was going shopping, he would always say, ‘Now if you’re going to pick out furniture, let me go with you.’”

Gibson’s husband was a sheriff’s deputy, and Gibson has the first desk the late Billy Ferrell, former Adams County sheriff, had when he was in office. The desk was given to the Gibsons as a gift by the Ferrell family.

“It really is something special,” Gibson said.

Gibson’s children are all grown, and most of them live out of town. She also has several grandchildren, and they have made memories in her house, too.

“I used to have two of these lamps, but my grandbaby broke one of them,” Gibson said laughing and pointing to a large lamp sitting next to her. “There sure are a lot of memories here.”