Robert le Blount Gamble, 94, passed peacefully April 1, 2024, at the Seabrook Retirement Village in Tinton Falls. “Bob” was born March 26, 1930, in a blizzard in Evanston, Illinois, the first child of Slade le Blount Gamble, an engineer, and Anna Marie Van Duzer Gamble, a violinist and school teacher. In his memoirs, Bob described being a young child of many antics and adventures. He recollected working hard as he grew, proudly earning the money for his first bicycle and later earning the money with his siblings for a hearing aid for his grandmother.
After a few moves in his early childhood, Bob grew up in Morgan Park, Illinois, where he attended Morgan Park Military Academy and was salutatorian of his class.
At Morgan Park, Bob joined the debate team to help him get over his shyness and improve his self-respect. From a piano teacher he learned good discipline, an appreciation for classical music and a love for the Oz books, which he read while waiting for his lessons. Bob also befriended his favorite math teacher, Cap Gray, who inspired him to attend Northwestern University.
Bob was proud of summers spent caddying, the beginning of his lifelong love of golfing.
At Northwestern, Bob followed his father’s advice to major in engineering – for good job opportunities – and met Vel (Mary Velesca Conrad), an organ student whom he later married and with whom he had a big family.
After college, Bob attended Harvard Business School to earn an MBA while Vel attended the Boston University School of Music. They married June 9, 1954, in the Boston University Chapel. For a time they lived in the home of Anna Holland, the widow of the man for whom the Holland Tunnel was named.
After graduation, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Marine Officer Corps, and was based in Quantico, Virginia. Their first son, Jimmy, was born in Quantico. Bob’s service took him to Camp Pendleton, California, and later to Wilmington, North Carolina, and Beirut, Lebanon. Bob was quite proud of a beautiful hard maple cabinet he designed and built for a hi-fi system while at Camp Pendleton. When Bob’s active duty with the Marine Corps ended in 1958, he took a job with Wheelock Signals in Long Branch and the family moved to Oceanport. They joined the First United Methodist Church in Red Bank where Vel became associate organist and Bob sang in the choir. The twins, Susan and Noel, were born early in 1960, and Bob was enamored with his young family.
Looking for professional advancement, Bob took a job as Assistant National Accounts Sales Manager for the Automotive Division of Blackhawk Manufacturing Company, and the family relocated to Hales Corners, Wisconsin, just outside of Milwaukee. Bob enjoyed international travel with Black Hawk and gained considerable business experience. Daughters Barbara and Mary were born in Wisconsin.
A marketing director job for Standard Thomson’s Automotive Division took the family to Massachusetts where son Lloyd was born. Though it was an exciting time for Bob professionally, increased travel demands with a big family at home proved to be too much. He looked for a new opportunity and accepted an offer from IT&T in New York; the family returned to familiar surrounds in New Jersey. Over those early years in NJ, while he advanced professionally, his marriage was challenged, and ultimately ended in divorce.
Bob married Elizabeth “Betty” Thomas in 1981. they enjoyed traveling together and many years singing in the Monmouth Civic Chorus until her passing in 2012. As Betty approached the end of her life, she navigated their move to the Seabrook Retirement Community in Tinton Falls, a wonderful gift to Bob, as he spent many happy years there, active in the Seabrook Community. He served as president of the Resident Advisory Council, newsletter editor and writer/photographer for the “Wood Chips” column in the community newsletter “Shore Lines,” sang in the Seabrook Singers, sang and danced and built sets for musicals with the Seabrook Chorale, played lots of golf, and much more. After Betty’s passing, Bob partnered with Mae Deas, another Seabrook resident, with whom he enjoyed a loving connection. Mae’s gracious presence has been a blessing to Bob and to all of his family.
A 90th birthday gala was planned for Bob in March 2020, but was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2020, Bob had a fall resulting in a traumatic brain injury, cutting short his actively engaged life at Seabrook. His wish to express their appreciation to his caregivers, Nana Ntowi, Kwame Bawuah, and Jude Okorie.
Bob was predeceased by his parents, Slade le Blount Gamble and Anna Marie Van Duzer Gamble; his brothers, Thomas Ellsworth Gamble (Donna) and Grigsby Van Duzer Gamble (Gloria); and his beloved wife, Elizabeth Thomas Gamble.
Bob is survived by his first wife, Velesca Conrad Gamble; his sister Jacqueline Gamble Kropke Rieck; his sister-in-law Trudi Thomas Kasianchuck (Paul); his children, James Slade Gamble (Jill), Susan Marie Gamble Dingsor (Arthur Strock), Noel Thomas Gamble (Toni), Barbara Lucille Gamble, Mary Velesca Gamble (Joe Graziano), and Lloyd Robert Gamble (Binta Beard); and his grandchildren, Kenneth James Dingsor (Christine Jorge), Fiona Lynn Chamness, James Conrad Chamness, Catherine Anne Gamble, Daria Chamness, Anaya Ruth Gamble and Langston River Gamble; and his many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 11 at the Atrium at Seabrook, 3000 Essex Ave., Tinton Falls, luncheon included. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the following organizations: The Seabrook Resident Care Fund, 3000 Essex Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07753; The United Methodist Church of Red Bank, 247 Broad St., Red Bank, NJ 07701; and Monmouth Civic Chorus, P.O. Box 16, Red Bank, NJ 07701.
The article originally appeared in the April 25 – May 1, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
