LILLIAN GOBBLE

Lillian Ruth Hamilton Gobble was born in Hamilton Town, Wise County, Virginia to William O. and Fannie Gardner Hamilton. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, in Rexburg, Idaho on March 22, 2025 at the age of 91. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband William C. “Bill” Gobble in 2023; and siblings Ellen Loretta (Curtis) Ison, Homer Kyle (Nell) Hamilton, Buford Lee Hamilton, and Billy Joe (Bobbie) Hamilton.

Lil left her beloved Wise County in 1951 after marrying Bill and followed him to Colorado Springs, Colorado where he was serving in the Air Force. They moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1954 where they raised their two children. She happily returned to Wise County in December of 1987 upon Bill’s retirement and spent the next 31 years there enjoying friends and family. Much of her time was spent doing family history research. She loved working with those that came into the Wise County Historical Society to find their Virginia roots. She and Bill volunteered with the Historical Society for 27 years. She told many stories of the people she met from all over the country and how much she enjoyed helping them discover their Wise County connection. She co-authored the Civil War book titled “Between Brothers” with her cousin, Rhonda Roberson. The book tells the stories of soldiers from Wise and Dickenson Counties that served on either side of the war. This was a labor of love for her as she gathered information about “her soldiers” as she called them. 

Her life was all about her family, both those that came before her and those that came during her lifetime. She was always willing to be of service to them in any way she could. She was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served in various callings. She again left her beautiful mountains in June 2018 to live with her daughter and son-in-law in Idaho where she resided until her passing. 

She is survived by her son, Russell (Teresa) Gobble and their sons, Justin (Jessica) Gobble, Travis (Sarah) Gobble, Kyle (Erin) Gobble and Richard Beeler; her daughter, Karen (Jerry) Yates and their daughters, Courtney (Ryan) Thayne, Heather (Spencer) Haacke, Lindsey (Justin) Shaw, Ashley (Brett) Nance and Kristen (Walter) Weidner. She is also survived by 24 great grandchildren and numerous extended family members.

Funeral services for Lillian Gobble will be conducted at 1 P.M. Monday, April 7, 2025 at the Sturgill Funeral Home Chapel in Wise, Virginia with Bishop Barry Ison officiating. The family will receive friends from noon till time of services at 1:00 P.M. Monday at the Sturgill Funeral Home in Wise, VA. Interment will follow in Powell Valley Memorial Gardens, Big Stone Gap, Virginia.

Please visit www,sturgillfuneral.com to leave online condolences for the family. 

Sturgill Funeral Home 1621 Norton Road SW Wise, VA 24293 is in charge of arrangements.