Shirley A. (Gamble) Grenoble

Shirley A. (Gamble) Grenoble, 90, of Altoona, passed away peacefully on October 22, 2025, at the Maple Heights Health and Rehab in Ebensburg. She was born on June 7, 1935, in Washington, D.C., the daughter of the late William Carroll Gamble and Mildred Louise (Simcox) Gamble. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Grenoble, and her beloved son, Mark E. Grenoble. She is survived by two sisters, Sandy Van Vlymen (Wayne) of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Eileen Stevens of Schuylkill County; daughter-in-law Debbie Grenoble of Warsaw, Missouri; granddaughter Aubrey Koetting (Colten) of Sedalia, Missouri; two great-grandchildren, Lennox Burns and Bowen Koetting; and nieces and nephews and numerous cousins.

Shirley graduated from Lock Haven High School in Lock Haven and furthered her studies at the Bible Baptist Seminary in Arlington, Texas. She owned and operated The Booktique, a well-known used bookstore in Hollidaysburg, for 30 years before retiring in 2014.

Shirley was an award-winning outdoor writer and conservationist. A former member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, her writing career spanned more than 50 years, with her work appearing in dozens of national and regional publications. She wrote a weekly outdoors column for the Altoona Mirror for more than 40 years. Her expertise in hunting wild turkeys and white-tailed deer made her a sought-after seminar speaker at outdoor shows, conventions, and other events. She was actively involved in the founding of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. She was the first woman to serve as President of that organization, having received numerous awards at both the state and national levels.

Shirley’s deep and abiding faith was central to her life and was expressed through decades of devoted service to the New Hope Baptist Church in Duncansville. There she was, a pillar whose spiritual gifts brought comfort and inspiration to countless lives. She served her church faithfully as the organist, choir director, and teacher of an adult Sunday school class.

A visitation will be held on November 15, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., followed by a celebration of life service at 11:00 a.m. at the New Hope Baptist Church, 276 Maple Hollow Rd. in Duncansville, with Pastor Douglas Pilot officiating.

In lieu of flowers, Shirley requested donations be made to the New Hope Baptist Church.

Arrangements by Sorge Funeral Home & Crematory Inc.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Shirley A. (Gamble) Grenoble, please visit our floral store.