James Clyde Gamble, age 96 of Five Points, Tennessee, passed away quietly during his sleep on December 3, 2022, due to natural causes. Clyde was born February 12, 1926, in Five Points, Tennessee at the family farm. Clyde lived his life as a farmer, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and good friend of many.
Clyde is survived by his daughter Mary Susan Gamble Crowell and son-in-law Larry of Soddy Daisy, Tennessee; grandson Samuel Crowell of Nashville, Tennessee; granddaughter Mary Katherine Crowell Burdette and her husband Paul Alexander Burdette of Washington, D.C.; sister Ruth Gamble Goff of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
Clyde was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Allison and America Rice Gamble, maternal grandparents Angus and Izora Owens, parents Robert Lewis (Bob) and Eula Mae Owens Gamble, and his wife and companion of 70 years Mary Sue Braly Gamble.
Clyde lived his life as a respected and loved member of the Five Points community. He continued the legacy of farming the Tennessee Century Farm his grandparents began in 1918. He was a graduate of Loretto High School and served his country in a U.S. Army MASH unit on the front lines in Korea. In addition to farming, Clyde surveyed crop allotments for the Farm Service Agency in southern Lawrence County, and retired from Murray Ohio Manufacturing Company. He was the oldest member of Lexington Church of Christ in Alabama, had served as a volunteer for the Lawrence County Tennessee 4-H clubs, and represented his farming community by participating in the historic 1979 Tractorcade to Washington, D.C.
Clyde was described by those who knew him as being a faithful man and having a sweet soul, a kind and gentle spirit, wise intellect and quiet strength. He consistently and sincerely showed much gratitude to those who loved and cared for him. Clyde will be remembered for his strong, simple faith and his earnest trust in God – steadfast, peace-giving constants throughout his life. He will be remembered for the joy he had when sharing times with younger generations of farmers, including Paul Gamble and Tim Ritter, and the tragic loss he felt when God brought them home so early in their lives. He indeed was resilient, kind-hearted, hard-working, strong and faithful. He respected the land and was in awe of beautiful sunsets, clear night skies, and spring wild azaleas in the woods. Whether working the land long hours throughout the seasons, compassionately supporting a newborn baby calf, petting the donkeys and the mules at the fence, or watching a kitten play, he was content with life and will be remembered for his diligence, resilience and joyful affinity with the good country living he chose. By sharing moments like these with his daughter and grandchildren, he passes to them his beautiful legacy of stewardship of things that are good. He dearly loved his friends and family and lived a long, good life. He was loved by many and will be so missed.
Memorial services will be held at the Loretto Memorial Chapel with interment at the Lawrence County Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Friday evening, December 9, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., and Saturday morning, December 10, beginning at 10 a.m. Service will begin at 11 a.m. with interment following at Lawrence County Memorial Gardens. Military Honors will be performed during the interment. The family is grateful to Scotty who works the farm, thus having given Clyde the impetus to continue to be the “farmer” he was. They are grateful to Dwight, Jackie, and Holly for helping Clyde and Sue to have had the opportunity to be on the farm as they aged, and to the dedicated staff and administration at Dominion Senior Living in Hixson, Tennessee, who helped the family care for them these last few months. They are grateful to their church families at Lexington and Clear Creek for their love, prayers and ever-present encouragement. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages friends to consider a memorial contribution in honor of Clyde to Lexington Church of Christ, P.O. Box 40, Lexington, AL 35648 which is active in care ministries throughout their community. Loretto Memorial Chapel is assisting the family.
