Wilbur T. Gamble, Jr.

Wilbur Thomas Gamble Jr. was born September 13, 1934 to Susie Belle Gamble and Wilbur Thomas Gamble Sr. in Terrell County Georgia. He is survived by his wife of 69 years Lila J. Gamble, a daughter Myra Gamble of San Francisco, California and a son Wilbur Thomas (T) Gamble III (Sheryl) of Dawson, Georgia, 2 grandchildren Layla Ann Gamble of Hartland, Wisconsin and Wilbur Thomas (Wil) Gamble IV, a student at University of Georgia and Martha Griggs, the family caretaker. His parents and his two sisters, Edith Gamble and Ida Cathryn Gamble predeceased him. 

He was a lifetime farmer and graduate of Georgia Southwestern College. He served 12 years in the Army National Guard achieving a rank of Sergeant. He served 48 years as Chairman of the Terrell County Commission; the longest serving County Commission Chairman in the history of Georgia and he never missed a regular monthly meeting; 576 meetings during that time. He ran for re-election 12 times, 9 times opposed, and only one opponent ever received more than 40 % of the vote. 

He was Chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission from 1985 until 1996 and served on the board for 23 years. He was also Chairman of the National Peanut Commission for a number of years. When he began with the Peanut Commission, he was afraid to fly, but ended up traveling to over 80 countries and became known as the Peanut man. At one point, he was the largest individual owner of peanut quota pounds in the entire country. 60 minutes, with Leslie Stahl, devoted an entire segment to him. He was close friends with Georgia Senator Paul Coverdell, Georgia Congressman Charles Hatcher, and Alabama Senator Howard Heflin. He entertained, at his home, Senator Majority Leader Trent Lott, House Speaker John Bonham and virtually every Georgia Senator and Congressman. 

He was a devoted member of Parrott Baptist Church for over 70 years. He was on the Board of Directors for the Bank of Dawson and long- time past President of the Dawson Country Club. He held season tickets to the Georgia Bulldogs football team for over 50 years and, of course, handed out packs of Georgia peanuts to everyone he saw each game. He also passed out peanuts on the beach, at high school games and anywhere else people gathered. He loved to fish and socialize, mostly socialize. 

As a young child he contracted diphtheria. The family was called in and told he would not live. He was bedridden for almost a year losing his ability to walk and to speak. Miraculously, he recovered and had to learn to walk and speak all over again. Some say once he regained speech, he never stopped talking again. He was born in his parents’ home at the Terrell County family farm that is now designated a centennial Farm having been in the family since 1866. He lived 1.5 miles from where he was born and was proud of that fact. He died in his sleep, at his home, only that 1.5 miles away. 

His wife said he was the master of stating the obvious and he was well known for creative wit, great comebacks and delightful stories. He was a highly successful businessman who testified before congress on numerous occasions, entertained the powerful and influential, but remained in many ways a down to Earth simple man. Once on a trip back from overseas a young lady on the trip tired of his views on a certain matter and exclaimed “You are a loquacious S.O.B.”, except she said the whole word. He replied, “ Ma’am I’m not real sure what that first big word means but I’m pretty sure I know what you meant by that last word. “ When asked at a morning Bank meeting if they had found Jimmy Hoffa yet he replied, “if they have it was last night.” When once asked about a particular person that claimed kinship as a cousin to him by marriage, if he was indeed kin to the person, he said “The only way I am kin to that boy is by Adam and Eve.” 

When he dealt with someone he felt was wrong in their views on a business, or a political situation, he would often say “ That man does the best job of hiding a college education I have ever seen.” 

More than anything else he remained to the end committed entirely to Terrell County Georgia, a place he called home all his life and the only place he ever wanted to be. 

Funeral Service will be at Parrott Baptist Church in Parrott, Georgia on Monday January 13, 2025. Visitation will be at 10:00 AM followed by the service at 11:00 AM. Interment will be private at Sardis Baptist Church in Yeomans. Officiating will be Brother David Martin and Dr David Bridges. Pall Bearers will be Dr Bill George, Chandler Lee, Charles Bruce, Jim Pritchard, Dave Miller, Rodney Locke, and special Honorary Pall Bearer, R. Max Sellers. And, as it should be, a packet of Georgia peanuts will be handed out to each who attend.