Obituary for Cletus Gamble

Funeral services for Cletus Gamble will be held at First Church of God in Ridgeway on Monday, February 22, 2021 at 1.00 P.M. Burial will take place at Hale Cemetery in Mt. Victory. Family and friends may visit two hours prior to services at the church. Mask will be required and Covid-19 protocols should be observed. The Price-McElroy Funeral Home in Mt. Victory is assisting the family with the arrangements.

On February 13, 2021, Cletus went to be with the Lord. He died at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus.
Cletus began his journey on February 1, 1943. The son of Jearl Cletus Gamble and Minnie Rosina (Hinton) Gamble. Living in rural Mount Victory, Ohio, he got an early start working with his father on their farm at the age of eight. He was taught how to run the tractor and he continued to farm into the 90’s.

During high school, Cletus participated in FFA showing dairy cattle at the fair, and he gained much respect from his father for his ability to pick out and purchase top producing milkers. He also participated in the band with his sister, Pamela Sue (Gamble) Cramer.

Upon graduation, Cletus joined the Air Force during the Vietnam conflict, and spent four years serving his country, primarily in Tennessee sorting some of the early computer data cards used in the military. 

After his service, he returned home to work, both outside of his home and to help his dad on the farm. In August 1966, he married Carolyn Hope Snyder and in May 1967, they had their first son, Timothy Lamar Gamble. In 1972, they had their second son, Terry Lee (Melanie) Gamble. They remained together until Carolyn’s passing in 2000, and in February 2002, he married Leslie (Brown) Gamble. Cletus was overjoyed at the arrival of his two grandchildren, Kristie (Gamble) Perdue in 1996 and Johnathan Gamble in 1999, and a great granddaughter, Liliana, in 2019, and was also awaiting another arrival.

Cletus continued to farm while working full time and overtime for over 40 years at Westinghouse in Bellefontaine, Ohio and Honda Transmission at Indian Lake.

Most noteworthy was his dedication to the Church. He often led worship songs with his mother at the piano and he also taught Sunday School and assisted with VBS. He has said he missed so few church services in his life that it could be counted as perfect attendance. Even while in the military he would give other service members a ride to the local church on Sunday. Even after his diagnosis of Parkinson’s in 2014 and Hydrocephalus in 2015,  he continued to lead adult Sunday School until 2018. More important was his love for the Lord. His patience, kindness, and compassion and humor demonstrated his faith to all. We will all miss him but rejoice in a life well lived and his reunion in Heaven.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to God’s Life Line, Ridgeway First Church of God, or Gideons International. Online condolence may be made to pricefh.net