January 30 1927 December 19 2019
Stanley “Joe”‘s Obituary Stanley Joseph (Joe) Gamble, of Big Rapids MI transitioned to the next life on December 19, 2019. “The man who planted trees” was 92. Joe was born in Detroit on January 30, 1927, the 2nd son of Mary (Diner) and Stanley Gamble. His family moved to a farm outside of Hart where Joe grew to take care of ducks and help with growing apples. He excelled as a student, performing near the top of his class. He loved music and sports; playing in the band and participating in football and track. Immediately after Hart HS graduation in 1945, Joe enlisted in the Navy and served his country for two years. He steered his ship through the Panama Canal, twice crossed the Pacific, and fondly remembers the Philippines, Okinawa, Guam, and Shanghai. As a WWII vet, he took advantage of the GI bill to earn his BS, MS, and PhD degrees from Michigan State University, specializing in ornamental horticulture. Joe returned to Hart and, together with his brother Jim, bought and managed Juniper orchards. He grew skilled in planting and nurturing trees of all kinds, specializing in fruit trees. In 1976, Joe had the opportunity to be a steward of his own “Road’s End Farm.” This mixed fruit orchard continued to be a source of joy, hard work and family memories. In February 1958, Joe met Mary Strohm, a young occupational therapist working in Grand Rapids. They married September 27, 1958, and were blessed with three children. Education was very important to the Gamble family; Joe taught biological sciences at Michigan State and Indiana/Purdue University at Vincennes before moving his family to Big Rapids in 1965. Joe was honored to serve the Ferris State community as faculty in the biological sciences. An important milestone for Joe was serving his sabbatical year teaching plant sciences at Egerton College, Njoro, Kenya. The family fully enjoyed being part of the Kenyan community. The final chapter of Joe’s career was owning Great Lakes Irrigation, based out of his hometown of Hart, MI. Joe exemplified a spirit of service to the local community, leading Boy Scout Troop 116 (all sons and grandsons achieved Eagle), serving in the Big Rapids Parks and Rec Dept, and guided the development of the Riverwalk trail. As a 50yr+ member of the United Church, Joe enjoyed singing in the choir, working with Creation Care, greeting/ushering on Sundays, and volunteering for Re-Member with the Lakota Nation in South Dakota. Joe loved running, hunting, traveling, flying his Ercoupe plane, skiing, folk dancing, and employing his grandchildren as cherry pickers each summer. Music was a lifelong love, from barbershop singing with the Red Bunnies to supporting the new church organ to Tuesday morning gigs with Harmonicas Plus. Joe and Mary’s family includes their children, Alan (Prisca), Ken (Joanne), and Karen (Jim Gussert); grandchildren, Charlotte (Afam), Levi (Summer), Ginger (Mark), Jordan (Alyssa), and Griffin; great-grandchildren, Hawkins, Ember, and Suvi; brothers, John and Jerre; and sisters-in-law, Judy Davis and Zoe Strohm. Extended family includes nieces, nephews, and cousins. Joe and Mary also served as a host family to international students Sanna Kautto, Lydia Colaire, and Naftali Mwaniki. Joe is now reunited with his brothers, Jim, Jack, and Jeff. A memorial service is being planned for spring 2020 at the United Church of Big Rapids. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be directed to the United Church or the City of Big Rapids Parks and Recreation Dept. The Gamble family offers sincere gratitude for Helping Hands caregivers Susan, Amber, Ericka and Mary. We also extend our thanks to Spectrum Health, especially Dr Peter Macdonald and Spectrum Health Hospice staff. Care and arrangements are entrusted to the Mohnke Funeral Home of Big Rapids. Read More
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Stanley Joe Joseph Gamble January 30 1927 December 19 2019.
Death notice for the town of: Big Rapids, state: Michigan