John Matthew "Matt" Gambrill

John Matthew “Matt” Gambrill was born on July 18, 1947, in Parker’s Prairie, Minnesota, to Dorothy Rupert and Charles A. Gambrill. He passed away on June 13, 2026, at his beloved home on Solomons Island, Maryland.

Matt’s life took many paths, but the one that defined him began in 1983 when he left a successful career as a Washington, D.C., attorney to purchase Calvert Marina and make Solomons his home. He traded designer suits for shorts and a pickup truck and was never happier.

From that day forward, the marina was far more than a business. It was his life’s work, his second home, and the place where countless friendships were forged. If Matt was on a boat, near the water, or simply watching life unfold along the docks, he was exactly where he wanted to be.

Solomons became his extended family, and Matt became part of the fabric of the community he loved so deeply. He generously gave his time, expertise, leadership, and financial support to countless local organizations and projects, quietly helping shape the town into the place so many people cherish today.

The Solomons Island Yacht Club held a special place in his heart. Serving as Commodore in 1996 and volunteering tirelessly for many years, he found lasting friendships there and took great pride in being part of its traditions.

Matt genuinely enjoyed being with people. Whether talking on the docks, sharing a meal, telling a joke, or lending a hand, he made everyone feel welcome. Successful in business but wonderfully unpretentious, he was happiest in shorts and a pickup truck, surrounded by the people and projects that gave his life purpose. His generosity was quiet, his loyalty unwavering, and he never stopped looking for ways to help his community.

He loved cooking imaginative meals that seemed to come together from whatever inspired him that day. He delighted in telling jokes—usually with impeccable timing—and the laughter that followed was often matched by the unmistakable twinkle in his eyes. That same twinkle appeared whenever he spotted a puppy. He adored his poodles, his cats, and just about every creature that crossed his path. Animals had a way of bringing out the gentlest parts of his nature.

Matt met his wife, Carmen, through the Solomons Business Association, where they were both deeply involved in serving their community. Theirs was not a tidy romance. It was a wonderful roller coaster of love, laughter, determination, and second chances that spanned nearly forty years. After a couple of engagements, they were married in 2011 and shared their first dance as husband and wife to At Last—a song that could not have been more fitting.

Despite their spirited disagreements about politics and many other things, they never questioned what mattered most. Matt always said that Carmen was the love of his life, and she knew beyond any doubt that he meant it.

One of Matt’s favorite sayings was, “It’s not how you start the game, but how you finish it.”

He finished surrounded by the community he loved, remembered for his generosity, humor, unwavering loyalty, and the countless lives he quietly touched. Judging by the hundreds of heartfelt messages that poured in after his passing, Solomons loved him every bit as much as he loved Solomons.

That is a remarkable legacy.

Matt will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever part of the waters and the community he called home. May there be quiet seas, a sweet dream, and fair winds for a man who always belonged on the water.