Rachel Gamble
Rachel Michelle Gamble, 22, of East Brainerd, went home to be with her Lord on Sunday, April 29, 2018.
Rachel was a 2014 graduate of East Hamilton High School where she was an outstanding softball player, making All-Conference three times. Her talents and hard work earned her a scholarship to Motlow State College in Tullahoma, Tenn., where she played softball for two more years.
She was presently majoring in Communications at Chattanooga State and had been employed with J. Alexander’s Restaurant for the past three years.
She was a member of Ridgedale Baptist Church and had previously been active in the Youth Mission Camps.
She was preceded in death by her grandfather, John H. Peters.
Rachel was an adventurous young lady and always loved helping others. She was an avid Alabama football fan, as well as being a fan of Duke basketball, and the Atlanta Braves. She loved music, animals, and the beach. She also loved her many friends, especially those at Motlow College, but above all, her greatest love was spending time with her family.
Yes, Rachel left us Sunday, but thankfully, she left us a few things to remember her by.
Her smile. Her face would glow with excitement and laughter, especially when Duke would whoop up on the hated Tar Heels. Some select friends of the family would receive text messages and phone calls with kind and loving messages of support for the heartbreaking defeat they had just experienced, each delivered in her own unique style. She would often offer this same loving support before the game was even played.
Her sense of humor. As much as they tried, her dad’s buddies could simply not get the last word in on her. From comments about her softball swing, to other loving putdowns, she was fully capable and more than willing to return those jabs and she did it with such style.
Her love of her family. She adored her mom and dad. A love that was shared with her dad from fishing, countless softball trips, traveling to Braves games, rolling with the Tide and of course that memorable game a few years ago sitting among the Cameron Crazies. Her mom, from shopping excursions and those beach trips she loved so, to late night girl talk and a shoulder to both cry on or just rest her head. She was a perfect combination of Daddy’s girl and Mama’s baby.
Yes, we will remember Rachel each and every year when the basketballs start hitting the hardwood in the Carolinas, when play ball is announced down at Sun Trust Park, when Roll Tide fills the air across the south and when the sun rises and sets at Orange Beach.
For now, we will shed a tear because she has left us, but we will soon smile again when we think upon this fact, one that we hold firm…she’s simply left us for just a little while. What a day that will be.
Rachel is survived by her parents, Mike and Susan Gamble; grandparents, John and Carolyn Gamble, Ringgold, Ga., and Wanda Peters, Rossville, Ga.; uncle, Mark (Tanya) Gamble, Ringgold, Ga.; aunts, Kim (Brent) Bass, Hixson, Linda (John Paul) Greene, McDonald, Tenn., and Lori (Rich) Oliver, Ooltewah; cousins, Dalton and Alex Belk, Allison Mayne, Kristen Massengale, Evan and Robyn Greene.
A celebration of her life will be held Wednesday, May 2, at 1 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Tony Leonard officiating. Burial will follow at Lakewood Memory Grounds South.
Visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share condolences to the family and view the memorial tribute.
The family will receive friends Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Rd.