Bill Gimblett, a trailblazer in the field of mental health and suicide prevention for the City of Alexandria, died peacefully of natural causes April 25 at his home in Lafayette, Colorado. He was 81.

A 28-year employee of the City of Alexandria’s Community Mental Health Center, Gimblett was instrumental in developing and implementing policies for the suicide prevention program for the Alexandria Public School System.

In 1986, Gimblett created the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Program (CISD) in collaboration with emergency service providers, a program that was initially met with resistance from local first responders.

Said Gimblett in a 1989 article in the Alexandria Gazette, “It was difficult for them to fathom the idea that the department would encourage them to explore their feelings,” adding that there was an attitude among emergency personnel that they should be able to handle such traumas on their own.

That changed in 1989 when Alexandria Police Corporal Charles Hill was killed in the line of duty on March 22, followed by the November murder-suicide committed by Deputy Sheriff James Lake III.

Gimblett served as director and lead clinician for the CISD team of mental health professionals. He traveled to Oklahoma City to counsel emergency service personnel, victims, and families following the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995 by domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh, and supported local federal employees in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

William Eugene Gimblett was born Oct. 6, 1942, in Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1965, he graduated from Manhattan College, earning his master's degree in social work from Catholic University in 1968. Most of his career was spent working for the City of Alexandria at the Community Mental Health Center.

Gimblett continued his education and training in related fields, including the Art and Science of Clinical Hypnosis in 1985, Certification of Police Critical Incident Debriefing in 1999, Certification of Child Sexual Abuse Consultation in 2001, and Critical Incident Stress Management Advanced Certification in 2002.

Following 28 years of service to the city’s Mental Health Center, Gimblett went into private practice in Old Town. Through this practice, he helped employees of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Employee Service Program in addition to counseling families, couples, and individuals throughout Northern Virginia.

In 2012, Gimblett and his wife, Sheila Gillette, moved to Colorado to enjoy retirement. An avid reader, Gimblett always had a book in hand and had a passion for following current events.  

In addition to Gillette, Gimblett is survived by his daughters, Jeannine Wenners (Mark), Allison Gillette (Scott Vinger), and Rachel Gillette. He leaves behind six grandchildren: Isaiah Gillette, Isaac Polcyn, Spencer Shields, Calvin Shields, Emma Shields, and Elizabeth Wenners. He is also survived by his sister, Eileen Lyons, his sister-in-law, AnnMarie Gimblett and many nieces and nephews.

Gimblett was preceded in death by his parents, John and Elizabeth Gimblett; his brother, John Gimblett; and his sister, Sr. Patricia Gimblett.

A Ceremony of the Celebration of his Life will be held Sunday, July 14, at 2 p.m. at The Morrison House, 116 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Please RSVP via Evite at: http://evite.me/CelebrationofLifeWilliamGimblett