Frank Gambol, 85, of Blairsville, PA sadly passed away on October 21, 2026. Frank was born on September 18, 1941 in Cleveland, OH. Frank attended University of Pittsburgh before entering the iron and steel industry.
Frank Gambol was a generous man. He always extended a helping hand for family, friends, and strangers alike. Very often, Frank was offering a hand before you even knew you needed one.
He was also a kind man. He always cared for animals, and had many canine companions over his life. He loved to hike in the forests of California with his dogs Chipper and Roxanne. He was well known for his love of dogs and all types of motor vehicles, and he could often be seen riding his motorcycle with his dog Roxanne in a custom-painted sidecar. Frank always kept his cars clean and his dogs well-groomed.
Frank was a snowbird, along with his wife Patty. They lived in Blairsville during the warmer months and Seal Beach, California during the winter. They would travel back and forth in a silver Airstream trailer. Along the way, they stopped to swim at every natural spring, hiked in national parks, and made many new friends.
Frank had a brilliant mechanical and engineering mind. He was the youngest superintendent in the history of the Pittsburgh steel industry, because he knew how the furnace worked better than anyone. In Chicago, Frank ran the most efficient blast furnace in the world, and the first to run on natural gas. After he retired, he was a consultant for blast furnaces as far away as Siberia.
Frank was a respected and beloved boss, because he took care of his workers and never feared standing up to those above him. At Acme Steel Company he created highly successful safety programs and refused to let his workers be paid any less than their worth. Anyone who spoke to him about machinery will know how brilliant he truly was.
Frank leaves behind his wife, Patricia (née Jubinski); his children John (Kimberly) Gambol and Mary (Bekhyon) Gambol; his grandchildren Akala, Boxidara, and Dagny Gambol; his siblings Anna (née Gambol) Buchman, Andrew Michael Gambol, Margaret (née Gambol) Bash, and Donna J. Gambol. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank C. Gambol Sr. and Anna (née Janitor) Gambol, as well as his sisters Mary L. Gambol and Sr. Charlotte (Leona) Gambol.
Frank’s ashes will be scattered in the California ocean this winter, according to his wishes. A memorial will be held in Blairsville next summer, with an announcement made in the paper so all who wish to join us can attend.
