Remembering Howard Gamble

Howard Gamble, 45 year administrator of Okanogan Douglas District Hospital, passed away this past weekend in his hometown of Brewster, Washington.  Gamble was long recognized by the American Hospital Association, the American College of Health Executives, and the Washington State Hospital Association as the longest serving administrator in the country. He was also widely known in Washington and nationally for his involvement in rural health and rural health issues. 

Howard Gamble

When you think of Okanogan Douglas District Hospital you also think of Howard Gamble, they are synonymous.  Along with a dedicated board of commissioners and staff, Gamble oversaw the growth of Okanogan Douglas District Hospital from a small locally funded 12 bed hospital in the late 1940s’ to a large tax funded 50 bed hospital district located in North Central Washington.  During his tenure, the facility added a larger waiting room, surgery suites and a surgical care recovery room, coronary care unit, pediatric room, laboratory space, intensive care unit, nuclear medicine department, nursing home, assisted living facility, and fitness center.  He was also a founding member of the Okanogan Douglas District Hospital Foundation and the Hospital Guild.

Gamble presided over several local and statewide health organizations while heading the Okanogan Douglas District Hospital.  He received the first ever Washington State Hospital Association’s Joe Hopkins Memorial Award in 1987.  The award is bestowed on an individual who reflects some of the key qualities that made Joe Hopkins special – humor, warmth, patience, persistence, insight and a commitment to the hospitals of the state of Washington.  In 2003, Gamble was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington Health Foundation.  The foundation stating:  For 45 years, Howard Gamble ran the Okanogan Douglas Hospital in Brewster Washington.  His lifetime of hard work and vision as a hospital administrator, mayor of Brewster, and president of local and statewide health organizations helped his rural Community to thrive and influenced health care systems throughout the state.

Gamble was the mayor of Brewster from 1963 until 1980, leading the town through several major events.  He was also active as a sports referee, in the mentoring program at the Brewster Elementary School that helps young people read, participated in the Quad City Senior Center as a board member, and was the #1 fan at Brewster Bears sporting events.

Within the last year, Okanogan Douglas District Hospital changed their name to Three Rivers Hospital.  Asked during this time, how the original name of the hospital was chosen, Gamble answered:  “I got a call from the county wanting a name immediately, so I just said:  Okanogan Douglas District Hospital.  We always meant to change it, just never got around to it.”

Bud Hufnagel, CEO of Three Rivers Hospital, voicing the feelings of all the staff at the hospital:  “Howard Gamble will be missed by all that knew him, not only for his dedication to our hospital and hospital district but to the rural health of Washington State.  We extend our sympathy to his wife, Dorothy, and his family.”