GAMBACH, Ralph Waldo 1914 - 2011

GAMBACH, GROVES, ALBORN, HOLMES, SOMERS, WATERBURY

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 2/22/2011 at 14:51:03

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Page 6

Ralph Waldo GAMBACH

Ralph Waldo GAMBACH, 96, of Mount Pleasant, formerly of Fairfield, Tipton and Lohrville, died at 1:09 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, at Park Place Long Term Care Unit in Mount Pleasant.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Mount Pleasant, with the Rev. Herbert G. Shafer officiating. A military flag presentation service will be conducted by Iowa Military Funeral Honors at the church. Burial will be Tuesday at Laurens Cemetery in Laurens.

A guest register may be signed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at Kimzey Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant. Family visitation and a luncheon will follow Saturday's service in the church's fellowship hall.

Memorials may be made to the Gambach Scholarship Fund of Buena Vista University or First United Methodist Church.

Mr. GAMBACH was born June 4, 1914, in Lohrville, the son of David Valentine and Elsie GROVES GAMBACH. He married Geneva Violet Sophia ALBORN Aug. 9, 1939, at her parents' home in rural Laurens.

Mr. GAMBACH received his early education in rural country schools around Lohrville. He graduated from Lohrville High School May 15, 1930. He received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake May 29, 1936. He first taught in Ware and then taught science at Fort Dodge Junior High School. In 1948, he became the superintendent at Meriden School. Mr. GAMBACH attended classes at the University of Iowa during the summer and received his master of arts degree in 1950. In 1953, he became the superintendent of the Tipton School District. He remained there until 1962, when he accepted the superintendent position with Fairfield Community School District. He retired in 1979 and remained in Fairfield until moving to Mount Pleasant in the 1990s.

Mr. GAMBACH served stateside as a pilot and cryptographic technician in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Mount Pleasant. He also was a member of the Lions Club, American Legion, Iowa State Education Association, National Education Association, American Association of School Administrators and Walt Whitman Club, and association of school administrators.

As a young man, Mr. GAMBACH enjoyed fishing and hunting. He later enjoyed camping expeditions with his family.

Survivors include his wife; one son, Ronald GAMBACH and wife Corinne of Cedar Rapids; one daughter, Jill HOLMES of Camdenton, Mo.; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one brother, Arthur GAMBACH of Chenoah, Ill.; and one sister, Dorothy SOMERS of Redlands, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Bruce GAMBACH; one son-in-law, Daniel HOLMES; and one sister, Mary WATERBURY.

Copied with permission from The Fairfield Ledger, Inc.
*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

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