Marcelle Gambaro

It is with deep love and sadness that we announce the passing of Marcelle Blanche Juliette Gambaro, who left us peacefully on November 4, 2025, at the age of 90. She was born on March 6, 1935, in Ottawa, Canada, and lived a full and beautiful life centered on family, travel, and creating a warm and inviting home.

She was the beloved wife of Salvatore Gambaro, with whom she shared over 60 wonderful years of marriage. Together they built a life filled with love, travel, biking and an abundance of hobbies. She was a mother to Maria Gambaro, Michelle Driscoll, Anthony Gambaro, and Andrea Gambaro. She was also a proud grandmother to seven grandchildren. Alexis, Luke, Jefferson, Gregory, Liam, Quinn and Avery, and became a great-grandmother to Cecelia just weeks before her passing.

Marcelle was one of ten children, raised in Canada in a small house where resources were limited but joy was plentiful.  After marrying Sal in Ottawa, they moved to Madison to start their life with their 4 children. Marcelle went back to school and got her Master's in Counseling and worked as an elementary school guidance counselor. In Madison they grew a large social circle where cycling became one of their main activities. She was an active member of the newly formed Bombay Bicycle Club: A road cycling club in Madison where community members who love to ride gathered to cycle, socialize and see rural Wisconsin by bike. Biking was one of her greatest passions.

Not only was Marcelle a biker but she excelled in many sports like hiking, backpacking, tennis, squash and even spent a summer learning to wind surf. Her hobbies were plentiful and she was prolific at stained glass, wood turning, matting and framing, upholstery and even paper making. Many also knew her as an outstanding cook with her specialty being french cuisine.  

Marcelle was a world traveler with Sal, visiting countries to bike, hike or build houses with Habitat for Humanity. Together they went to Italy and France several times, China, Nepal, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Chile to name just a few. Marcelle was generous with both her time and her love and made friends with people from all over the world.

Marcelle made an impact on the people she met.  She loved to crack jokes, she loved to feed people around a table and she loved to learn from the diversity of people she met.  With her family, her door was always open for her children and she loved to spoil her grandchildren.

Marcelle lived a long, full life full of great adventure.  She will be so greatly missed. A memorial will be held in early December. For memorial service information, please email: andreagam@gmail.com