Former DPS officer Henry “Hank” Gamboa was a proud member of the Pepperdine family. At 77, Gamboa passed away Thursday, Jan. 19, at University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas. As a DPS officer serving until his retirement in 2010, Gamboa grew to love the Pepperdine community and gave much of himself to its advancement.
Gamboa was the “face of Pepperdine.” As a booth officer, Gamboa was the one who greeted the thousands of vehicles entering campus each day with his friendly wave and unique, warming smile.
Gamboa’s wife of 30 years remembers that she “fell in love with his smile.” She recalled how he would have bowls of candy awaiting young children who came through the gates onto campus.
Gamboa took great pride in his position as one of the first people with the opportunity to provide a welcoming first impression of Pepperdine to those who pulled up to the main gate each day. He loved to tell his wife how much he loved his job. “He’d say I’m in Malibu, looking at the scenery every day, wearing shorts, waving pretty girls through the gate, and I’m getting paid for it,” his wife, Susan Gamboa, said.
Hank was known to be quite compassionate and lenient with students when it came to parking, always offering a parking warning and allowing them to learn from their mistakes.
“He had a tremendous heart for the students,” Susan said.
Since his retirement from Pepperdine in 2010, his presence has been missed.
“Hank was a beloved member of the DPS Family,” DPS Deputy Director Dawn Emrich said.
It was well known that Gamboa was an avid Pepperdine athletics fan. His family recalled the abundance of T-shirts he collected from Athletic and University events. Gamboa and his family traveled with the volleyball team for multiple seasons. He also loved to watch and cheer on the baseball team to victory.
Gamboa displayed courage in his efforts to help others. His son and wife recalled his enthusiasm as he went through volunteer firefighter training at the age of 65. His love for protecting was what he lived out every day as a DPS officer and “strong man of God.”
Gamboa’s final memorial is to be held at the Pepperdine University Chapel on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is open to all. Students, staff and faculty are welcome to join Gamboa’s loved ones in a tribute to his life, his accomplishments and his legacy here at Pepperdine and beyond.
