Dwayne Robert Gamble of Mylo, ND passed away peacefully but unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at his home.

Dwayne's parents, Wilbur "Bob" Gamble and Mildred Blessum, married in 1928 and almost immediately joined a caravan of young couples from Minnesota and North Dakota to find work and new homes in Spokane, Washington. Bob got a job as a lumberjack and Mildred tended to the chickens. Soon, she was tending two children, Will and Helen. When Mildred was expecting her third child, she was desperate to return to her family in the Midwest so that she could be with her mother for the birth. So, they moved back to Minnesota and they welcomed another son, Dwayne, on November 10, 1936 in Sinclair Township.

Tragically, Mildred passed away when Dwayne was only 33 days old. Bob was determined to keep his little family together, and so, when he was off working as a lumberjack, Will and Helen stayed with the other families in the lumber camp while infant Dwayne remained with Mildred's parents. For the next few years, Dwayne would stay with various aunts and uncles until he was old enough to spend his days in school. In 1943, the three children's prayers were answered when they got a second mother: Ruth Dunham Blessum, who had been married to Mildred's brother, Harold Blessum. Recently widowed, Ruth had three children, too—Clarence, Ralph, and Lorraine—who were already first cousins to Will, Helen and Dwayne and now became their siblings.

Dwayne grew up in Columbia Heights, MN where he met and married his high school sweetheart, Joanne Rumpsa, on August 18, 1956. They raised three children in Columbia Heights, Kathy, Brian and Scott. He and Joanne divorced in 1982 but remained friends for the rest of his life.

Dwayne purchased a hobby farm in Isanti, MN where he lived for 13 years. Although he enjoyed farm life, he once said that he had more friends back in North Dakota than in Minnesota. He wanted to move closer to his sister Helen (who lived in Linton) and other family and so purchased his house in Mylo. Due to his interest in vintage tractors, he soon volunteered at the Dale & Martha Hawk Museum and served on the board of directors. He persuaded his entire family to join him for the summer farm shows.

Dwayne was a multi-talented man and had many interests. He could play the guitar, banjo, accordion and taught himself to play a dulcimer that he built himself. Dwayne was in high school choir and loved music, teaching his children traditional folk songs like "Down in the Valley," "There's a Hole in the Bucket" and "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain." He loved woodworking and built a rocking crib for his niece's son, a spinning wheel for his daughter and many other items. Dwayne was always happiest when he had a baby in his arms—anyone's baby—and was extremely proud to be chosen to be a godfather to Kaylee Schell, his great-niece's daughter.

Dwayne is survived by his three children, Kathy (Tom) Compo, Minneapolis, MN, Brian (Sue) Gamble and Scott (Connie) Gamble, former wife Joanne (Rumpsa) Fedorko, all of Aitkin, MN, his grandchildren Joshua Riccard and Miranda Thomas, step-grandchildren Adam and Ben Forland, stepsister Lorraine (Blessum) Douglas, brother-in-law Albert Weber and many, many nieces and nephews, cousins, great-grandchildren and dear friends.

Greeting Dwayne in heaven were his parents, brother Will Gamble and sister Helen (Gamble) Weber, stepmother Ruth (Dunham) Blessum Gamble, stepbrothers Clarence (and his wife Shirley Horswill) Blessum and Ralph Blessum, and brother-in-law Frank Douglas.

Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at the Dale and Martha Hawk Museum in Wolford, ND. Visitation will begin at 1:00pm with service to start at 2:00pm. Burial will follow at Island Lake Cemetery, Wolford, ND.   Elick Funeral Home, Rolla, ND (701) 477-3189.