Her death notice in the Otago Daily Times said the ``midwife to thousands of Dunedin families, and defiant ex-district health board member'' had had a long battle with cancer.
Mrs Gamble, who lived in Marlborough with her husband, Norman, had previously lived in Dunedin and Central Otago.
As the Southern District Health Board member who was most outspoken about the 2015 food service outsourcing, she reportedly clashed with then chairman Joe Butterfield.
Several years earlier, as an Otago district health board member, she raised an early alarm about Michael Swann, whose fraud would later be uncovered.
Contacted yesterday, Mr Butterfield preferred not to comment, but acknowledged the pair differed at times.
``She and I had a different view on life. We each recognised each other's views,'' Mr Butterfield said.
Richard Thomson, former Otago chairman and Southern health board member, said Mrs Gamble ``led from her heart''.
``At times we would butt heads, but I always really enjoyed her as a person and I enjoyed her company. And I enjoyed her spirit.
``Public bodies need people who aren't afraid to upset. That doesn't mean they'll always be right, but they make people think.''
``That was Mary's strength. I think she often got things right because she came at it from her heart,'' Mr Thomson said.
Former DHB member Kaye Crowther, of Invercargill, remembered Mrs Gamble as an intelligent person who was passionate in an argument but never held a grudge.
``I came to respect and value Mary's friendship and I'm really sad.''
Mrs Gamble served two terms as an elected member on the Otago board before returning to her home country of Ireland, where she worked at the University of Limerick, which was establishing a new medical school.
After moving to Central Otago in 2011, she was elected to the Southern District Health Board in 2013.
She served for nearly two years before the board was sacked by then health minister Jonathan Coleman.
Related Stories
Comments
I only saw her in action once. At the SDHB meeting. She was silenced by Joe Butterfield when speaking out about the food company Compass. He and Minister of Health Coleman (who appointed him) wanted Compass voted in and a perfectly good existing service out. That is what we are now left with- a 15yr contract with a multinational company. I admired her then and do now. We need more like her who will speak out when things are wrong.
Its sad to see she tried to not just be a hospital board member but help people as it seems most that are on these boards are just there and not a lot gets improved at lest this good women tried