Sharon Elise Gamble

Funeral for Sharon Copeland Gamble, 58, of Decatur will be Monday, October 30, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with Dr. Huey Reynolds of First United Methodist Church officiating. Visitation will be at 11:30 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.

Mrs. Gamble died Thursday, October 26, 2017. She was born August 20, 1959, in Birmingham, Alabama to Dr. Sage Gamble and Emogene Kinney Copeland.

Sharon was previously married to Kenneth Gamble of Decatur and is survived by her son, Jackson Gamble of Decatur and a daughter, Dr. Georgia Gamble of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Sharon is survived by her brothers: Steve Donald Copeland (Joan) of Birmingham, Alabama and Dr. Sage Kinney Copeland (Ann) of Decatur, Alabama and a sister, Julianne O’Hara (Vann) of Decatur, Alabama. Her nieces and nephews are: Kathleen O’Hara, Hattie O’Hara, Katie Copeland Daggett (Jeremy), Sage Copeland (Bailey), Chris Copeland (April), Lindsay Copeland, Matt Copeland, Ben Copeland, and Jonathan Copeland.

Sharon graduated from Decatur High School in 1977 where she was a cheerleader. She graduated from the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) and obtained her master’s degree from the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

Sharon was retired from the Decatur School system. She taught physical education at several Decatur City Schools for 25 years with the majority of those years at Eastwood Elementary School where she was known and loved by her students as Gamble One. She was especially proud to have been chosen as Teacher of the Year while at Eastwood.

Sharon was a long time member of First United Methodist Church, loved animals and had a passion for rescuing dogs and was known for her uplifting social media posts.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorial donations be made to the First United Methodist Church, 805 Canal St. NE Decatur, AL 35601, Decatur General Foundation’s Lee Lott Power of Pink Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness, or the Animal Friends Human Society of Decatur.