Leonard Gambrell

1941 - 2020

Leonard Lee Gambrell was born May 17th, 1941 and passed away at home in Mesilla, NM on June 10th, 2020. To quote James Joyce "(He) lived and laughed and loved and left."

Leonard was brought up in Sentinel, Oklahoma. The eldest of six children, he was expected to coax the younger siblings to keep the farm running while his dad went to his day job. By sixteen Leonard was driving the local school bus, picking up kids in the countryside. Leonard graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor's and master's degree in Political Science. He was offered and accepted a position at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1966 and in 1970 he earned his Ph.D. in Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Son Brian was born in 1968 and daughter Rochelle followed in 1972. Leonard would eventually meet Lori Miller and they were married in 1981. Son Lance was born in 1984.

Leonard's lifelong academic interest lie in the study of war and peace and the area of International Conflict Management. His introductory class 'Reflections on War and Peace in the 20th Century' was always full. He taught course work on the United Nations and Conflict Management and mentored the Model UN program for students. Local TV or radio stations often called Leonard to share his knowledge and expertise on world events. The Vietnam War was a special topic for Leonard in which he team-taught a multi-disciplinary class for 20 years. He eventually started leading tours of Vietnam to students and community members.

After retirement in 2002 Leonard, Lori and Lance moved to Las Cruces, NM. Within weeks of the move, Leonard was notified that he was chosen out of 6000 University faculty for the 2002 Wisconsin Regents Teaching Excellence Award. An extraordinary end to an extraordinary career. He continued to teach the Vietnam War class at NMSU in the Honors Program for 10 years.

Leonard enjoyed sharing a beer out on Friday night to catch up on the events of the week. He was passionate about and protective of his family. Leonard loved baseball, his favorite team being the Minnesota Twins. He coached Little League and Babe Ruth, coaching his son Brian and enlisting Rochelle as bat girl. He umpired youth baseball, then back to coaching son Lance. Leonard was a natural farmer and enjoyed backyard gardening. He grew vegetables and flowers from seed in the basement under shop lights. He always had plenty of plants to share with friends and neighbors. He was known for his canning skills and secret salsa recipe.

Leonard eventually would succumb to his battle with Lewy Body Dementia. His intelligence and humor were severely challenged. It was difficult to remember his wonderful life through the cloudy veil of dementia. But he flung his head back to laugh only five days before he passed. He was a good man and will be missed.

Leonard was preceded in death by parents G.L. (Doc) and Helen Gambrell, sons Brian and Lance Gambrell, and sister in-law Diane (Miller) Stanek. He is survived by wife, Lori Miller of Mesilla, NM, daughter Rochelle Gambrell and granddaughter Olivia Byrd-Gambrell of Norman OK and grandson Carter Tweith of South Carolina.

Surviving siblings in Oklahoma include Geary and Jeri Gambrell, Larry and Leona Gambrell, Reba and Gene Schmidt, Margaret and Allen Demel and Sharon Spradling. Leonard was also survived by in-laws Lloyd and Jan Miller, Den and Karen Miller, Joe Stanek, Curt and Terri Miller, Connie Miller and Dave Schultz, Marilyn and Dick Krause, and Arne and Sue Miller as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held April 23 at 10:30 am at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2000 South Solano, Las Cruces NM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Leonard Gambrell World Politics Fund at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Leonard used the cash award from his Wisconsin Regents Teaching Excellence Award to establish this scholarship.

Arrangements are made with La Paz-Graham's Funeral Home, 555 West Amador Las Cruces, NM 88005. To sign the on-line guestbook visit www.lapaz-grahams.com.