Marjorie E. Esdaile

OBITUARY Marjorie Ellen Esdaile, born in Brooklyn, New York on January 22, 1932 to Lawrence Gomez, Sr. and Agnes Mary Lopes departed this life after a long challenging medical battle at Yale New Haven Hospital on December 1, 2020. She attended Bridgeport and Stratford Connecticut Public schools. As a teenager, she married George W. Walters Sr. and had two sons, Lawrence William Walters (Chickie) and George William Walters, Jr. (Jerry). As young parents, the couple separated. At the age of twenty-one, as a single mother, living in the PT Barnum public housing development, she worked as a Psychiatric Aide at Fairfield Hills Psychiatric Hospital in Newtown, Connecticut until 1961working to make ends meet and toward her personal goals. She married Luther Esdaile in 1960 and the family moved to Lander Street in the Newhallville neighborhood in New Haven, CT. Of that union, two children were born, Marjorie Carlah Esdaile and Scot Esdaile. Within her family values, she raised her children as one unit, there was no separation. They were both committed to obtaining the best out of life for themselves and their children. They had shared aspirations and worked hard to obtain them. They enjoyed life. They traveled to support family and friends and hosted many family gatherings. She worked as a program coordinator for the very first established head start early childhood development program for the City of New Haven. During that time, she attended night school at James Hillhouse High School and graduated in 1969 earning her high school diploma alongside her son Jerry. She later went on to graduate from the Grace New Haven Hospital Nursing Program (currently known as Yale New Haven Hospital) as a Licensed Practical Nurse in 1971 at the top one percent of her class and served as a nurse for nearly 40 years. She retired from the Jewish Home of the Aged. She always made the family her priority. She worked the night shift in order to be available for her children during the day for her entire nursing career. She graduated from South Central Community College (now Gateway Community College) earning an Associate’s Degree in Psychology and attended Goddard College in Vermont furthering her studies. Higher education was very important to her and she instilled that belief into her children, family and community children. She lived a life of service. This was ingrained in her as a child growing up with her grandmother that provided foster care to many children over many years. She was a parent advisor for the St Luke’s Parish Young People’s Fellowship. She was a strong supporter of the Church Men’s Club, supporting her husband by hosting many membership meetings in their home. She was actively involved in her children’s school and extracurricular activities including the PTA, Sports Booster programs and was a member of the Parents Against Drug Addiction Assn in the 1970’s. She served on many civic groups that focused on uplifting the community and youth leadership and development. She served on the Greater New Haven NAACP Criminal Justice Committee and supervised monitoring Judges and District Attorneys with the NAACP’s Sentencing Disparities Initiative. She worked on the Esdaile Family Reunion committees for several years and hosted a Lopes Family Reunion in her home bringing the family together to get to know one another after many years of disconnection. Through challenges, like most families experienced, she lived her truth and demonstrated that “Each One Must Teach One”. We laugh as we remember telling her that she had no filter, but her honesty was admirable. She was the person in any room who welcomed the new person with open arms and a big smile, who introduced that person to everyone in the room and made everyone feel comfortable. She was so caring and loving. Her cousins and best friends describe her as a giving person, a forgiving person, fun and full of laughter. High Fashion was her signature. Her co-workers describe her as being a hard worker, kind and compassionate, she always put her patients first. No excuses. That’s how she ran her unit. She would go the extra mile, to ensure that her patients received the best care and wanted for nothing. She promoted quality care on her floor within her shift but also pushed to ensure that same high level of quality on the other shifts as well. She walked the floors and personally checked the rooms to ensure patient care was maintained. She provided quality training. Her level of ethics was infallible. She not only worked one full time position, but held multiple part time positions simultaneously. She served as a role model to many. Working toward the purchase of their own home, she and her husband were one of the first families of color in the Westville Neighborhood of New Haven, CT. She loved her home and took great pride in keeping it up to date and well maintained. She learned how to do her own home improvements very creatively. The home was open to all, hosted numerous family functions and was her place of solitude. Her family meant the world to her. She was a very proud parent. Proud of the people her children had become and of their accomplishments. Proud of her family members, including her brother in law, Dr. Wilbur Esdaile, Sisters in laws and other relatives, many who were also healthcare providers. She loved her children’s friends, enjoyed their company, laughing, dancing and sharing stories but also providing a safe space during challenging times. She provided a bed and a home, love and support to family and friends in need. She was an amazing Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, known as “Grandmommy” and “Nonnie”. She was nurturing, teaching, creating laughter and providing prayers and guidance. She was very supportive. She was predeceased by her Parents, Husband Luther H. Esdaile, Son, Lawrence W. Walters and Grandson, Joseph L. Walters. She is survived by her Brother Lawrence Gomez Jr. of Mt Vernon, NY; Children: George W. Walters Jr. (Elizabeth) of Hempstead, NY, Marjorie Carlah Esdaile-Bragg of New Haven, CT and Scot X Esdaile (Adrien) of Hamden, CT; Six Grandchildren; Michele A. Walters of Charlotte, NC, Scot White of Long Island, NY, Britton Bragg of New Haven, CT, Chelby Bragg of Branford, CT, Imani Esdaile and Quran Esdaile of Hamden, CT; seven Great-Grandchildren Tyler Walters of New Haven, CT, Jodi Walters of Brooklyn, NY, Amoy Walters-Williams , Akilah Morgan and Bishop Morgan all of Charlotte, NC, Navy Daniels, Kendall Bragg, and Addison Walters all of New Haven, CT, and a host of loving relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor can be made to the Marjorie E. Esdaile Nursing Scholarship Fund by visiting, www.tpfct.org Live streaming will be available at www.beulahheightschurch.org