Marilyn J. Gayle

Marilyn Joyce Elliott Gayle also known to friends from back home and family as Ena, was raised in Puerto Barios Guatemala. Due to her Jamaican roots and her Latin country, Marilyn would be bilingual, speaking English at home and Spanish in the community and school. Her home life and immediate neighborhood was enriched in Jamaican culture highlighted by her father Nathaniel’s Jamaican bakery. The 4th child and 2nd girl Marilyn was drawn to being a care giver. Specifically a nurse after watching the McCallas’ (her next door neighbors) daughter go to work at the hospital and after the Red Cross came to town. The McCallas would influence Marilyn’s life in another amazing way, as they were Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) and would invite Marilyn to church with them. It was with them that Marilyn learned about the love of Christ. It was through the SDA church that when her siblings and friends started immigrating to the US, she instead enrolled in a SDA academy in Costa Rica. She was able to attend with the help of Pastor and Sis. Wade, SDA missionaries from the US, that started their work in Puerto Barios, as well as her oldest brother (who was a father figure) Marcos Ralston who financed it. Marilyn enjoyed her time in Costa Rica as it opened her mind to what her life could be outside of her small town. When she completed the academy, she returned to Puerto Barios with a dream of becoming a nurse. One day while flipping through a SDA magazine she saw an advertisement for SDA Montemorelos University in Mexico and they had a nursing program. She applied, was accepted, packed her bag, and took the long solo bus ride to Northern Mexico. She was able to pay for nursing school through the help of her brother Marcos as well as caring for her older sister Elma’s daughters (Sandra and Yvonne and as a result they would always have a close bond) on school breaks. Before she knew it she graduated and was a nurse! She joined her family in NYC and became the guardian of her 3 youngest siblings, filling the role of mother. While waiting to pass her nursing boards she worked as a home health attendant, and made sure her 3 youngest siblings were cared for. When Marilyn passed her nursing boards, becoming a registered nurse, she was able to obtain her citizenship by sponsoring herself as a professional! An accomplishment she was very proud of. As a nurse Marilyn continued to strive for excellence and worked first at Mt. Sinai Hospital but spent the majority of her career at NY Presbyterian where she retired. Always seeking knowledge she went on to receive her BSN from SUNY New Paltz and her Masters in Library Science from the Pratt Institute.

Another sense of great pride and love was the family and life she led with her husband George. George, a man of similar cultural heritage (a Honduran of Jamaican ancestry) would marry Marilyn. With George leading, together they shared life ideals and carved out an exceptional life in the suburbs of NYC. Her two daughters, Marissa and Tanya were her greatest joys and love. Marilyn’s greatest desire was to create the opportunities and stability for her daughters that she longed for as a child. Piano lessons, the best schools, museums, skiing, and a relationship with God supported by a great home church. Marilyn beamed when talking about her daughters. Being their mother and caregiver was a job she never retired from. Only thing that made her happier was being called Abuela by her prince Andrew and princess Gabriella. She made it her goal to teach them how to read at an early age, as well as the song Jesus Loves Me, as her father had taught her. Similar to her children, she took them skiing, sought out piano lessons for them, and made sure they had valid passports to be worldwide travelers. She was there at pickups from school and bus stops. Marilyn made getting through the COVID school years possible. Abuela became known as nurse on duty to her grandkids as she always had a remedy for their ailments. She was the matriarch of the family.

Outside of family and work, Marilyn dedicated much of her free time to her beloved First SDA Church of Teaneck. She did not mind the 30min drive from NY to NJ to serve the Lord, as she always felt the warmth of the church members. Her service on various committees, and the church board was something she took seriously. Her fondest memories of First Church always included her teens from Teens In Action.

Marilyn leaves behind a legacy of love for God and a strong education, as with both in hand the trajectory for generations can be changed for the better.

Marilyn was pre-deceased by her father (Nathaniel), mother (Martha), an older bother (Selvin) and older sister (Elma). She leaves behind her devoted husband (George), loving daughters (Marissa and Tanya), beloved grandchildren (Gabriella and Andrew), sisters, brothers, Gayle in-laws, host of nieces and nephews, and many many friends. Marilyn is resting until our Lord and Savior comes again at which point she will greet us with her loving smile.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to ALS United Greater NY via: alsny.org or

ALS United Greater NY

42 Broadway, Suite 1724

New York, NY 10004