Gary Gambill

Gary Gambill, age 76, of Tecumseh, Oklahoma, passed away on Sunday, April 14, 2024 at his home.

He was born October 18, 1947 to Wendell and Bernice (Tatum) Gambill in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Gary was raised in Edmond, Oklahoma until the 9th grade when the family moved to St. Louis, Oklahoma.  He attended St. Louis Public Schools and graduated from St. Louis High School.     

After high school Gary attended Okmulgee Tech and earned his certification for diesel mechanic. While attending Seminole Junior College he was drafted into the U.S. Army.

He proudly began serving his country in August 1968.  He completed his basic training and AIT at Fort Polk Louisiana.  Gary left for Vietnam in January of 1969 and was placed with the 101st Airborne Infantry in Northern South Vietnam.  Base Camp Evan and Eagle: No towns close by – worked mostly in A Shau Valley Ap Bia Mountain.   One of the battles he was involved in was at Hill 937.  The Hill was called “Hamburger Hill”.  A ridge of mountains in Central Vietnam.  The battle was primarily an infantry engagement with the US Airborne troops moving up the hill, they were also hindered by bad weather.  Airborne troops took the hill through direct assault, causing extensive casualties to the PAVN force (People’s Army of Vietnam).  He also went to a Bob Hope show in Cameron Bay.  He left Vietnam in January 1970 and finished his army career at Fort Hood, Texas where he was honorably discharge in June 1970 as a Sergeant E-5 with a Bronze Star.

He married Ava Williams on June 12, 1971, at the Wolf Baptist Church in Wolf, Oklahoma.

Gary retired from Locke Supply in 2012 after 32 years of service.

He was a member of First Baptist Tecumseh in Tecumseh.  His hobbies included deer hunting, collecting and fixing clocks and cars.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wendell, and Bernice Gambill.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of over 52 years, Ava Gambill of the home; 3 sons, Gregory and Kellie Gambill of Tecumseh, OK, Jason and Nancy Gambill of Tecumseh, OK and Joshua Gambill and Corrie Hendrix of St. Louis, MO; 7 grandchildren; 1 great-granddaughter; 1 sister, Sharen Polkinghorne of Oklahoma City, OK; and other extended family and friends.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons, Zachery Gambill, Hunter Gambill, Fischer Gambill and Garret Gambill.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Bob Wilson, Dennis Baker, Jim Featheroff, Greg Gambill, Jason Gambill, Joshua Gambill, Buck Kay, Larry Brady and Larry Odvody.                                                           

Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, April 18, 2024, and continue through service time.  Service will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 19, 2024, at Cooper Funeral Home Chapel with Jim Gillham officiating. Burial will follow at Wolf Cemetery under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home of Tecumseh. Please join the celebration of Gary’s life through Cooper Funeral Home’s Facebook page and YouTube for live streaming of the service.