William DeForest Gamble

William DeForest Gamble passed away peacefully at home in Havelock, NC, surrounded by his family on December 11, 2021, following a long, hard fought battle against lung cancer. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Merri Jo, children Nancy Brandt (Kevin), Gretchen Cary, Brett Gamble (Aly), Mary Jaber (Alexander), their families, and his sister Jacqueline Gamble.

Bill was born on March 6, 1940 in North Tonowanda, New York and grew up in Bemus Point, New York. During his youth, Bill was actively involved in the Boy Scouts, achieving the prestigious Eagle Scout award, was a competitive member of the local water ski club, involved in high school athletics, and an active member of his church youth group.

Bill attended Dartmouth College, where he graduated in 1962 with an A.B. degree, with honors, in Engineering Science. He stayed at Dartmouth for a fifth year earning a B.S.E.E. in 1963 from Thayer School of Engineering. Directly after graduating from Dartmouth, Bill spent five years in the U.S. Air Force as an officer at the Rocket Propulsion Laboratory on Edwards Air Force Base, California. While there, he worked as an instrumentation engineer on rocket engines with cryogenic and exotic fuels. He also monitored the electrical and electronic aspects of a military construction project for a new high thrust test facility.

After retiring from the Air Force, Bill spent 30 years in the spectrum management field with the U.S. Government. He started in 1968 with the Office of Telecommunication Management (OT), and in 1997 retired from OT’s successor, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Office of Spectrum Management (OSM) as Deputy Associate Administrator. Bill served in various positions associated with OSM’s Spectrum Planning Subcommittee (SPS) and chaired several IRAC Ad Hoc Groups. For several years, he was chief of the Systems Review Branch, which assessed the major radio communication systems for spectrum supportability and subsequent approval. He established and chaired the Space Systems Group of SPS, which was the focus for the advance publication, coordination, and notification of Government space systems in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) forum, which also reviewed foreign and commercial space systems for impact on U.S. Government systems. His primary role at OSM was chairing (1984-1997) the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC), the longest standing committee of the U.S. Government. In his last years in this position, he led the effort that identified 235 MHz of federal government spectrum to transfer to the private sector for commercial use. Bill was awarded the Department of Commerce Gold Medal for his accomplishments.

Bill represented the civil sector spectrum management interests in the NATO Allied Radio Frequency Agency (ARFA) civil/military forum and the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) civil/military forum. He was responsible for issuing and maintaining the NTIA Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management and certified spectrum support for all new major radiocommunication systems. When he was appointed to this position, he was selected as a member of the Senior Executive Service of the U.S.

Bill was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) since the early 1960s. In 1965-1966, he served as Vice Chairman of the North Valley portion of the Antelope Valley Section, which focused on IEEE activities at Edwards Air Force Base. During the 1970s and 80s, he was active in the Washington Chapter of the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Society. He served in various offices and served as Chairman of the Chapter for a year, and also on the staff of several international IEEE EMC Symposia in the Washington, DC area.

As an active member of Springfield United Methodist Church over decades, Bill served as Lay Leader, Property Chairman, assisted in the Scouting and ESL program, choir member, Methodist Men, Blood Drives and virtually wherever there was a need. His church family meant the world to him and many of these people became life-long friends.

Upon retiring from the Federal Government, Bill established Gamble Telecommunications, Inc., a consulting firm focused on domestic and international spectrum management and regulation, where he was President and the principal employee. Much of his effort was committed to participation in numerous study groups and working parties of the ITU, primarily in the areas of satellite services, mobile services, and space research services. Domestically, he assisted commercial efforts in achieving coordination with the Federal Government users of the spectrum in order to accommodate new products within the U.S.

In 2008, Bill and Merri Jo moved to Havelock, NC to renew his love of being on the water. Growing up, Bill was an avid water skier and boatsman, and this love of the water permeated every aspect of his life.  He loved being on the water; it didn’t matter the vessel as long as there was water surrounding him, and he shared that love with family and friends. He was an accomplished wood craftsman, and a love of music guided him to sing with the Dartmouth College Glee Club. Bill was an active member of the Herbert Charles Hunter Memorial Masonic Temple, Springfield Lodge #217, as a Freemason, and a Kena Shriner with the bagpipe unit, the Kena Highlanders.

In North Carolina, he became a member of the First United Methodist Church in Morehead City. He was a role model for many, always guiding, teaching, lending a hand, and unconditional in his love and caring nature.  He was kind to the end and will be missed by all who knew him.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, December 18, 2021, at 11:00 AM at First United Methodist Church, 900 Arendell Street, Morehead City, North Carolina, 28557. Inurnment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to:

SECU Comprehensive Cancer Center at Carolina East Medical Center, New Bern, NC, directed to Dr. John Cho and Dr. Svetlana Kats  or First United Methodist Church, Morehead City, NC.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Cremations, Havelock, N.C.