Ruth Poplin Gambill

Ruth Poplin Gambill, age 99, of Bel Air died Tuesday, 21 August 2012 while a resident of Bel Air Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born October 7, 1912 in Wilkes County, NC. She is the beloved wife of the late Paul W. Gambill, who passed away in 1969 and the daughter of Samuel Denson Poplin and Jettie Esther Gambill Poplin.

She is survived by her loving children, Gwyndolyn Poole, wife of the late Charles J. Poole, and Donald Gambill and wife, Kathy, one sister Iris Poplin Burcham of Tennesee, special nephew Sam Tharpe, her 5 grandchildren, Letitia and her husband, Terry Proctor of Bel Air, Steven Poole and his wife Lynn of White Marsh, Martha and her husband Oley Mitchem of Bel Air, Philip Poole of Jefferson Md, and Ronald Gambill and his wife Beth of Rising Sun, as well as 9 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

In 1919, Ruth's large family – she was one of 14 siblings – moved to St. Omer Farm in Forest Hill, Maryland by train. Growing up she assisted with dairy farm living, doing the daily chores with determination and satisfaction. After marriage, she became a farmer's wife and continued her love of dairy farming. She enjoyed family gatherings, gardening and canning, quilting, good food and was a good cook.

Despite being deaf, she participated in many community activities, supporting church events and demonstrating quilting at Steppingstone Museum. She held many offices as a longtime member of the Mechanicsville Homemakers Club. Homemaker gatherings often provided information on the needs of her neighbors and she enthusiastically helped. At the age of 80, she took a hot air balloon ride, hoping to view both her farm as an adult and her childhood farm from the air; she was not disappointed.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her son-in-law, Charles J. Poole, her daughter-in-law, Margaret Boyd Gambill, and many siblings: Bretta Tharpe, Loton Poplin, Grace Burcham, Quincy Poplin, Arnie Poplin, Samuel Poplin, Calla Boyd, Noah Poplin, Lucille Gambill, Virginia Eberling, and Margaret Karr.

Visitations will be held on Sunday, 26 August 2012 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at McComas Funeral Home, 50 W Broadway in Bel Air. Funeral services, conducted by Rev. Harold Hubble of Great Hope Bible Church, will take place on Monday, 27 August 2012 at 11:00 am at McComas Funeral Home, with internment to follow at Bel Air Memorial Gardens.

Pall bearers will be her great-grandsons Greg Poole, Kyle Poole and Evan Proctor, grandnephews Wilson Tharpe and Eric Smith, and longtime family friend Chris Moxley.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 in memory of Ruth and Paul Gambill.