Bobby Gamblin

Bobby Gamblin was born in Seymour, Texas on August 10, 1942. He later moved to Stamford, Texas where he was very active in athletics. He received All State Football honors as a lineman/linebacker and was a Captain on the Stamford Bulldogs 2A State Championship team. He was awarded a football scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin where he played in the old Southwestern Conference. At UT he was a four-year letterman and a member of the 1963 NCAA National Championship football team who defeated Navy in the Cotton Bowl. He graduated from The University of Texas with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. During his UT tenure he was a member of the Silver Spurs, Delta Tau Delta, the "T" Association, and the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class where he was selected for Amphibious Recon. He loved the Marine Corps and received an Honorable Discharge as a Sergeant in 1967.

After college, Bob moved to Houston and began a long career in sales. In 1967 he met Martha Neil Shaw and six months later they were married in her father’s hospital room. Their two sons, Neil and Robert, were born in Houston; there the family enjoyed life with many friends. After a brief stint living in the Midwest, the family moved to Arlington, Texas in 1974 and have lived in the same house ever since.

Bob had a gift of “seeing” those who were hurting or in need. He would engage with complete strangers to provide encouragement, whereby the conversation would often end with laughter and a smile. He had an interest in astronomy and would take his telescope to children’s hospitals and elementary schools to educate children on the wonders of space. He ran several marathons before running became cool, and still holds the family record for the fastest marathon.

In spite of his athleticism, Bob loved Dr. Peppers, Snickers, fried pies, cheese crackers and any hot food item he could procure from a gas station. His diet consistently reflected the inverse of the USDA Food Pyramid. After his retirement, he became a substitute teacher for 10 years in Arlington Schools and was affectionately known as “Mr. G.” He was often recognized with great excitement by students around town. Mr. G also taught many children as a Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) children’s leader.

Bob and Martha were happily married for 56 years and attributed much of their marital success to the Marriage Encounter program and BSF. He often remarked that without Martha his pathway would have been barren, without richness or fullness; however, with her, he lived a complete and blessed life. His Lord, wife, children and grandchildren were the focus of his life.

Bob lived out his love for the Lord as a Deacon and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church. He was also a Sunday School teacher, a youth mentor and a Bible teacher at the Arlington Life Shelter. For approximately 40 years, he held various leadership and teaching positions in Men's BSF. When asked how he was doing, he would always reply, “Better than I deserve.”

Bob is survived by his wife, Martha Neil Shaw Gamblin, son Neil Fitzgerald Gamblin and his wife Dana, son Robert Shaw Gamblin and his wife Emily, seven Gamblin grandchildren - Remington, Karis, Kyla, Jameson, Phillip, Andrew, and Jacob, his sister-in-law, Elizabeth Shaw Lowrance and many other extended family members and dear friends.

A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington located at 1200 S. Collins on Sunday, December 22, 2024, at 2:00 PM.

Memorials, if felt led, may be made to:

BSF www.bsfinternational.org/support or Arlington Life Shelter www.arlingtonlifeshelter.org/get-involved/