Verna Mae (Hackney) Gamble

Verna met Herb her freshman year at Abilene Christian College and they married soon after. She was a working mother all her life; She and dad even ran a café in western Kansas for awhile. She loved sales; whether it was jewelry, fabric, bank accounts, or insurance. She was generous with her sewing and baking skills. She made dresses and clothing for her 4 daughters, never failing to have all march into church on Easter Sunday in fresh new outfits. Stephen may have been pampered as the only boy with attendance at every sporting event, snacks for hungry teams and gallon jugs of milk consistently in the fridge during his teen years. She even mended packing house frocks for several years. She baked continuously for PTA and school events, scouts, and her beloved church. Verna’s yeast rolls are legendary and of course since pie was her favorite dessert they were well known and loved as well – nobody could beat her pecan or coconut cream with its mile high meringue. Her children never hesitated to volunteer to bring cookies or something to an event tomorrow with no advance, she was always stocked and ready to produce delicious treats. She only made raised donuts once a year, for the church’s Halloween party, but boy were they worth the wait, us kids would fill up on donut holes on the day as she saved the full size donuts for that evening’s party. An avid reader, she could discuss any topic (she was her father’s daughter, so smart!), we all thought she should have participated on her favorite show Jeopardy – she would have aced the Bible category. She always sang as she was cleaning or preparing meals and we learned the words to many of the classics. She loved to send cards and good wishes to family and church friends, remembering everyone’s birthday. Not much for most crafts, she was diligent with her crochet hook and every child and grandchild has a crocheted creation by Verna. Every family get together featured delicious food, but after the meal dishes were cleared table games were essential, accompanied by laughter, so much laughter that we will carry on as best we can but will sorely miss the sound of her laugh.

Mom was very much her own woman with political beliefs, devotion to the Lord, engagement in PTA, alto in the local MotherSingers group, competitive at winning sales contests at work. Us kids though, never wondered did she love us, was dinner and dessert going to be on the table, would we have a ride to practice, did we have a never-failing supporter. She did a good job at this life and we are better for her part.

Verna is survived by her daughter Jean Burris (Glenn); son Stephen Gamble (Amy); daughter Pam Gmaz (Bill); daughter Sherry Livingston (Steve); daughter Melanie Henry (Eric); brother Hal Hackney (Cynthia); grandchildren Forrest Burris (Lara), Ashton Burris (Brie), Aaron Gamble, Jason Gamble (Lauragail), Caitlin Hammon (Matt), Colin Bagby (Landon), Jillian Bonner (Adam), Blythe McGuffee (Jeff), Nathan Henry (Vanessa), Isaac Henry (Erin), and Joshua Henry and her great grandchildren Valentina, Pierre, Angel, Elaina, Darby, Brielle, Presley, Gracelynn, Hudson, Grace, Roscoe, Molly, Cade, Ava, Daisy, Jorden, and Elias.

Verna was preceded in death by her husband Herbert E. Gamble Jr; son-in-law Matthew Livingston; father M. H. Hackney; mother Effie Mae "Mo" Box Hackney; brother Robert Hackney; brother Mitchell Hackney; and grandchild Christopher Burris.

A visitation for Verna will be held Wednesday, July 17, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Lakeview Funeral Home, 12100 E 13TH ST N, WICHITA, KS 67206, followed by a Celebration of Life at 10:00 AM.