South Berwick – Gayle W. Marvin passed away peacefully from this life to the next on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at Edgewood Rehab Center, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was born November 26, 1952, in Ransom, Kansas. The son of Earl Leon Marvin and Laurene Elizabeth Freiss. He had several brothers and sisters: Gerald Marvin of Kansas, Dennis Marvin, who passed away; Nancy Donnell of Tennessee; Susan Sharp and Husband Gerry Sharp of Kansas; Gayle Marvin, who passed away; Merle Marvin of Kansas, and Verle Marvin, who passed away. His uncle and his mother fondly called him Butch.

As a kid, he was a boy scout, loved to play pool, and helped his Aunt May & Marge & Uncle Fritz on their farm. He helped his mom and dad as members of the American Legion and VFW; later in his life, he would return as a member of the American Legion. He loved the Alman brothers' music and watching Saturday soccer. He was a true outdoorsman who was always connected with nature, and you could often find him at the beach. He greatly desired to be outdoors, where he always felt at peace. He loved birds and would feed them on his porch. He was an intelligent man who could work crossword puzzles in ink. He loved Dunkin-Doughnut French vanilla coffee and country-fried steak.

He married US Navy Veteran Cecelia Flack on December 10, 1974. Together, they had two children: a daughter named Angela Marie and a son named Joseph Leon, who passed away in 1988. He was a devoted father who would listen intently to your story. He supported his Wife in teaching Tai Chi. He was proud of his daughter being the first in the family to go to college.

He honorably served his country, pledged loyalty and patriotism to the United States, and enlisted in the US Navy in 1976. He served as a sonar tech on several nuclear submarines. Served on USS Andrew Jackson SSN 619, USS Woodrow Wilson SSN 624, and USS Memphis SSN 691. On shore duty, he loved riding his bike to and from work in San Deigo, California. He retired to South Berwick in 1996 after working on his last submarine at the Portsmouth Naval Yard. He served as a Vietnam-era veteran and earned many medals, including the SSBN DET Patrol, Navy Achievement Medal, and Artic Service Medal.

Gayle went to the Seacoast Cancer Center in 2007 for lung cancer and received excellent help there. He loved to do Physical therapy at home for many years with Cornerstone VNA. As a hospice patient with Beacon Hospice, he had wonderful support and comfort; with the VA, he had no financial worries. While at Edgewood, he received excellent care from doctors and nurses.

Gayle believed that "this life is short, and there is a greater purpose to life." He believed that the goal in life is the peace of God and that there is no spot where God is not. He will be missed for his quiet ways and sense of humor, even to the very end.

He leaves behind his Wife, Cecelia Flack Marvin, daughter Angela Maria Watts, son-in-law Timothy Watts, and their two dogs and two birds.

"Our tour of duty may be over, but our Dolphins have no expiration date on them, and we never leave the brotherhood. Yes, the pride is still here. This is his boat, his home; his time will be remembered. We care because we are submarine sailors forever".

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the United States Submarine Veteran Charitable Foundation. https://www.ussvi.org/ussvi-charitable-foundation .

The family will be having a burial at sea ceremony for Gayle.