Carroll Gamble

Durango resident Carroll Tidrick Gamble, also known as Kelly passed away on September 8 2014, after a brief illness. Kelly was born on November 8 1921 in Madison County near Winterset, Iowa. His father was Russell Oscar Gamble and his mother was Mary Elisabeth Tidrick Gamble. Kelly had three full brothers, 2 half brothers and 2 half sisters. His mother and the four boys lived with their grandmother and grandfather. They ran the Tidrick music store and Tidrick funeral home. As a young man in California Kelly married Ida Hite and had a son, Les Hite. That marriage later ended. Kelly volunteered into the navy in May of 1942 and served at the Corpus Christy Naval Air station, and PATSD 7 C fleet air wing 7 in Dunkerswell, England. He was discharged after V J Day, in 1945. Kelly then went to Iowa where he met his wife of 64 years, Mildred Gilmore. Mildred had 2 daughters Nancy Lucille Gilmore and Lena Kay Gilmore. The couple also had a son John Carroll Gamble. Kelly worked as a restaurateur, plant manager, and fabrication welder throughout his career. After retiring Mildred and Kelly moved to Alamo TX. When Mildred passed in 2006 Kelly moved to Durango CO. to be near his youngest son. Kelly has been involved with service work and church work for much of his live, and was a member of VFW, American Legion, Masons, Scottish Rite and Shriners. Kelly was a retired Shriner clown with his specialty in balloon sculpture. In Kelly's own words "I have lived a full and gifted life and am a born again Christian. I hope to join the heavenly father when the time comes to cross over to the afterlife." Kelly is survived by his 4 children and a wonderful extended family. No services are planned at this time. Please give any commemorative gifts to your favorite charity or to a scholarship for a child.