Mr. Fred Alfred Gamble, Sr., son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Fred and Lillian Wilhelmina Lawrence Gamble was born on a day in which God allowed one of his greatest and most influential blessings to be bestowed on His earth, on March 19, 1936, in Georgetown, South Carolina. The third child of this marital union, Fred and Lillian surely must have shouted, "Oh happy day," as they welcomed their only son to the family with his sisters, Valschia Mildred and Lily Vaughn. God continued to smile on Fred from this day and throughout his lifetime.
Today it happened it's finally done,the birth of my boy, the little man, my son.
- Joyce Baron Kerr
Because God was the head of his childhood home and the center of all activities, young Fred Alfred, as he was known to his elders and family members in an effort to distinguish him from his father's namesake, was nurtured and educated in the ways of our Lord at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Georgetown, South Carolina. In his youth, Fred Alfred was actively involved in the Church School, Y.P.D. and other youth activities and gave of himself unselfishly in any capacity expected of him.
Dedicated hard work was an important facet of life, and young Fred Alfred became skilled in this ethic by his father. Various household chores and maintenance was given to young Fred Alfred to complete around the home with a stern eye in the details of near perfection. Fred, his father, also gave him the tools of life of an apprenticeship to ensure that this young man would comprehend the importance of being the best and the brightest in any endeavor which was assigned to him. He learned everything he could as he tagged along with his father regularly during various jobs and assignments. Little did he know this would be the beginning of his calling and the clout he would have on others.
Young Fred Alfred Gamble matriculated through the segregated public schools of Georgetown County, South Carolina, having attended Howard Senior High School in his formative teenage years. It was there he met the young lady with the beautiful smile, long pig tails, and straightforward character, Miss Catherine Ann Cox of the Graves Station Community outside the city limits of Georgetown. Upon meeting this charming young woman, little did he know how important she would become to him in his life and eventual career as well.
A young African American man in the middle decades of the twentieth century proved to be a tenacious time in United States history. Prejudice, oppression, and other adversities were a reality to our own contention, however, the perils and injustices did not deter the vision and determination of Fred Gamble. He prepared for his future by enrolling in Voorhees Area Trade School in Denmark, South Carolina. This school, founded and maintained by the local African American community, proved to be a stomping ground for those who intended to learn and ultimately make a positive mark on the world. Fred's dream was to learn the trade of plastering at this school and embark on his hopes and dreams for the future with this valuable training in enterprise.
As fate would have it, Fred Alfred's father died suddenly in a boating accident on December 8, 1954. He was quoted in saying to his mother during this tragedy, "God took Daddy and now I have to take care of you" and he did just that until her demise some thirty-seven years later, in 1991.
Because Fred Alfred was trained in the importance of family and in lieu of his father's death, he was forced to leave Voorhees Area Trade School to assist his mother and sisters maintain their livelihood. It was in the year 1955, young Fred arrived at the doorstep of his paternal cousins, the late Mr. and Mrs. David and Estelle Chapman Dozier in Ormond Beach, Florida, to embark on the journey of establishing his career. His cousins were instrumental in assisting him to find employment almost immediately in the Daytona Beach Area. Through the Doziers involvement, Fred made connections with Mr. Dewey Taylor, Sr., who in turn introduced him to his son, Mr. Roosevelt Taylor. This meeting allowed him to advance with the training he received from his Dad and to begin his course.
In 1957, young Fred returned to his hometown to ask the young lady with the beautiful smile, Catherine Ann, for her hand in marriage. Fondly she accepted, and the two were married on February 3, 1957 in Georgetown, South Carolina, and God graced their home with one son, Fred Alfred, Jr. Fred's brother-in-law, Donald Larone, was also reared as his own son and he foreshadowed him in death in 1996.
The young couple relocated to the Daytona Beach Area almost immediately and joined New Bethel A.M.E. Church under the pastorate of Rev. A. Jackson. Fred's capacity in the church extended to various usher boards, Class Leader, and Chairman of the Trustee Board. The Dining Hall of the church was completed under his direction as was the remodeling of the old parsonage and edifice of the church. Mr. Gamble was the in charge of the development of the newer parsonage in later years as well.

May the works I've done speak for me.
When I'm resting in my grave,
There's nothing more to be said;
May the works I've done
Let it speak for me.

Fred's career proved to be colorful throughout the years while living in Florida. With Mr. Roosevelt Taylor and later along with Mr. Henry Burson the three formed the B.G.T. Corporation of Greater Daytona Beach. These three professionals paved the way for many in this area with their collective hard work and adherence to customer service. Their business proved to be quite lucrative and influential in the local African American community as they created their brand of professionalism around the city. All three of these young men were well respected for their work ethics and celebrated for their steadfastness in entrepreneurialism.
In 1970, Fred Gamble, Sr. launched one of his dreams by erecting the home in which his family resided on Jackson Street in Ormond Beach. From this dream, spawned the construction of twelve moneyed homes on both sides of the street for the next fifteen years. It was in 1989 Dr. Bobbie Primus-Cotton and other neighbors petitioned City Hall for the renaming of the then Jackson Street to Fred Gamble Way. This was done in an effort to give distinguished praise for a job well done in the community.

If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.
- Martin Luther King
During the next decades and into the twenty-first century, Fred Gamble, Sr. adjusted his livelihood by continuing the legacy in which his father taught him at a leisurely measure. Along the way he was support for his wife Catherine's aging parents, inspiration for the zeal of an education to his son as he graduated from Bethune-Cookman University, a nurturer for his grandchildren, and a means of support and guidance for his nephews, nieces, and other family members as he matured.
Fred was blessed to voyage on many cruises over the years to various Caribbean destinations and enjoyed the rest and relaxation of traveling to various havens in the United States. He traveled yearly to the Washington, DC Area home of his son and family and enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the Graves Station Community near Georgetown, South Carolina in which he joined his cousins and friends for many days on the water fishing in search of the big one, which most of the time got away.
As Fred's health began to decline, he was blessed to be cared for by his wife, Catherine. Anything he wanted or needed was provided with loving responsibility by her and he was given the utmost special attention he so needed and well deserved in his final days. It was on Sunday morning, February 14, 2016 that Fred Gamble, Sr. completed his evolution to be with the Lord as his wife, son, and grandson shared their love and expressed their gratitude. The chariot swung low and he climbed aboard because his job was finished. Fred Gamble, Sr. left these mundane shores with one of the greatest legacies that anyone would be illustrious to speak of and ultimately follow.
Fred leaves fond and cherished memories to a devoted and loving wife of fifty-nine years, Mrs. Catherine Cox Gamble, of Ormond Beach, FL; one son, Fred Gamble, Jr.; one grandson, Jalill Marquis Gamble; three granddaughters, Catherine Nicole, Fallon Rose, and Aniya Monique Gamble; one great-granddaughter, Kennedy Imani Gamble-Gray; two great-grandsons, Aubrey Seth and Ashton Cameron Gamble-Gray, all of Prince George's County, MD; two sisters, Mrs. Valschia Gallant Brown (Leon), of Georgetown, SC and Mrs. Lillian Gamble Randall, of Brooklyn, NY; four nephews, Mr. Christopher J. Gallant, Jr. (Lillie) of Columbia, MD, Mr. Frederick R. Gallant (Carmalita) of Columbia, SC, Mr. Anthony C. Gallant (Rosa) of Belmont, NC, and Mr. Ricardo Marrero of Brooklyn, NY; two nieces, Mrs. Doreen G. Green (Nolan) and Ms. Allison "Rachelle" Gallant of Cleveland, OH; cousins and multitudinous friends.