Randy Gambony Obituary

Randy L. Gambony, 48, son-in-law of former long-time Hinsdale, IL residents, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth L. Hanson, died Friday morning, September 19th, at 10:30 a.m. in Fishers, Indiana, as he was headed home that day with his wife, Mrs. Randy L. (Amanda Hanson) Gambony, to take up residence in Franklin, Pa.The desire of Mr. Gambony was to live in Franklin with Mrs. Gambony and to be near Mr. and Mrs. Hanson, now resident's of Franklin, friends and his extended church family there as he continued his nine month battle with esophageal cancer.Mr. and Mrs. Gambony had lived together in Indianapolis, IN where Mr. Gambony worked as Assistant Manager for the Chicago-based firm, Harlem Furniture, since January 2008, at Castleton Square Mall. Mr. Gambony was hard working, well-respected by his associates and known to bring vitality, stamina, and service to his daily work.On Wednesday evenings, Mr. Gambony led a Bible Study at Wheeler Mission Ministries to tell the homeless, poor and needy of Central Indiana about God.Mr. and Mrs. Gambony attended The Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, where they became church members on August 24th of this year. Prior to Mr. Gambony's job transfer with Harlem Furniture to Indianapolis, he was employed as a sales associate for Harlem Furniture in Downers Grove, Illinois.Before their move to Indianapolis, Mr. and Mrs. Gambony attended The First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, outside of Chicago, where Mr. Gambony had been an active member in good standing since 1995, and had earned his Master of Divinity Degree in 2003 from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard, lL. Mr. and Mrs. Gambony met while he was in Seminary as he was serving 30 hours a week as an outreach minister for Emmaus Ministries, a position for which he raised his own financial support in order to reach male prostitutes on the streets of Chicago with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.Just prior to his death, Mr. Gambony was registered to begin his doctor of ministry studies in the area of Family and Marriage counseling at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, as he continued to teach at Wheeler Mission and planned to serve as an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).On February 24, 2001, on St. Matthias Day, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Mr. Gambony married Amanda Vincent Hanson.Surviving are his wife; his mother, Mrs. Donald (Maxine Beardsley) Gambony, Milwaukee; three sisters: Donna Jean Smolinski, Carpentersville, IL, Debbie Ritchie, Waterford, WI, Kim Lutsch, Centennial, CO; three brothers: Mike Gambony, Phoenix, AZ, Mark Gambony, Kissimmee, FL Donald Gambony, Waukegan, IL and many nieces and nephews.Going before Mr. Gambony in death are his father, Donald L. Gambony and his brother, Steve Gambony. Friends may call at the Huff Chapel, 312 West Park St., Franklin, Pa, this Friday, September 26th, 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.Services will be conducted Saturday, September 27th, 1p.m., at St. John's Episcopal Church, 1145 Buffalo St., Franklin, Pa. The Deacon Holly Davis will preside over the service which will include Celebration of the Eucharist followed by the committal service at the Franklin Cemetery. A Memorial Service will be offered Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 10 a.m., at The First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn, 500 Anthony, Glen Ellyn, Il. 60137. Phone: (630) 469-2007. All are invited to attend. A Dedication Service will be held on Sunday, October 12, at St. Leonard's House, Chicago, IL to dedicate the communion table donated by The First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn, IL, to St. Leonard's House in honor of Mr. Gambony and his service at St. Leonard's. Mr. Gambony joyfully led the weekly Sunday evening chapel worship and prayer service for men who lived at St. Leonard's House, a residential home for formerly incarcerated men returning to the community from Illinois prisons.The communion table for many years and until recently sat in the main sanctuary of The First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn. This dedication from the church is significant because Mr. Gambony called The First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn his home. The communion table dedication service is to be held in conjunction with the St. Leonard's Sunday evening fellowship dinner and will be hosted by the First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn's Saturday morning's men's Bible Study group of which Mr. Gambony was a well-respected and a much loved member. Many of the men in the Saturday morning men's Bible Study group along with many men and women at The First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn considered Mr. Gambony their friend. "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13. Please contact Mr. Jeff Siefert of The First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn's Saturday morning men's Bible Study Group for additional information at (312) 505-1091 or (630) 261-0234. Memorial Gifts may be sent to: Emmaus Ministries, 921 W. Wilson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60640, (773)334-6063 or 800-378-4445. [email protected] Arrangements handled by Huff Chapel Inc. 814-432-3111 or [email protected].