Gayle Ellen Kadow

Gayle K. Kadow, 74, of Jacksonville died July 2, 2017, at her home. Graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, July 7 at Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery. Survivors include husband, Arthur of the home; daughter, Cindy of Massachusetts; sons, Steve of Rhodes Island, Frank and Larry, both of California; and sister, Elaine Magill of Pennsylvania. Arrangements by Jones Funeral Home, Jacksonville. Published in Jacksonville Daily News from July 3 to July 4, 2017

Gayle (Kennett) Kadow age (74) of Jacksonville North Carolina passed away July 2, 2017 peacefully with her loving husband Arthur Kadow by her side. Gayle was the daughter of Gaylord Kennett(D) and Virginia Wallace (D). She was the third of 4 sisters Leona (Thompson) Gassett(D), Virginia (Thompson) Gavel (D),and Elaine (Wallace)Magill, She was the loving mother of 5 children; Tammy (Clifford) Cambell, Frank (Clifford) Winterholler, Steven Clifford, Cindy (Clifford-Dicicco) Sullivan, and Larry Sproles. She also leaves behind 7 grandchildren and 12 Great grandchildren with whom she loved and adored as well as many nieces and nephews.

Gayle was loved by everyone that met her. She opened her heart and her home to many people and became the loving adoptive mother and grandmother to several people. Indeed it surprised her husband when she explained to a nurse that she had 10 daughters and 29 Great grandchildren. Among the more notable people was, her best friend Gloria Louthan, and good friend Linda Francis and Jack Phillipone, whom she often expressed was the step-brother she never had. Gayle was further surrounded by the love and comfort by the Onslow County Home Hospice team, which she welcomed into her family and into her heart.

Gayle also took the title of Marine wife to heart. While the husbands were away on deployments, she would look out for their pregnant wives, who might otherwise have felt abandoned, right up to being with them in the delivery room. This idea of looking after young Marine wives was later expanded Marine Corps wide into the Key Wives program. Because of her work and caring she was the recipient of the Molly Pitcher Award, named after a woman who took over manning a cannon during the Revolutionary War, when her husband was wounded. The award bestowed upon her the honorary rank of Sergeant in the Marine Corps.

Another accomplishment Gayle was very proud of, happened at 29 Palms California, where the Commanding General bestowed upon her the title of Base Gardner. It started with her desire to see grass in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Accordingly she worked the lawn assigned to us by Base Housing until it was a green strip surrounded by sand and rocks. The general, touring his base, saw Gayle watering the grass and ordered his driver stop so he could talk to her. When Gayle explained that she merely saw something that needed to be changed, he inquired what other changes she would like to see. Gayle outlined her vision of a park where the members of the community could come together. From that encounter the general informed Base Maintenance to bring all their grass seed to the housing so everyone could grow grass. Gayle was also made project manager to build her park. Working parties of Marines cleared the land, laid sprinklers and planted the grass. A naval construction battalion, up for annual training, installed bar-b-ques, and built picnic tables plus a huge cover to shelter them. Swings, monkey-bars and the obligatory sand box were added. On the the dedication of the park it was appropriately named Gayle Park giving her the distinction of being the only civilian to have a facility named after her on a Marine Base.

Additionally, for the many projects she initiated during her time as a Marine Wife, she received no less than 3 Letters of Appreciation from Base Generals and one from the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Her work was further recognized by letters of thanks from Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush for improving the quality of life in the military community.

Gayle was also active in many civic organizations including the VFW; the Moose lodge; and the In-Country Vietnam Veterans. She was recognized as the Woman of the Year in all three of theses organizations for her works as an organizer and fund raiser. At that time Gayle held the distinction of raising the most money in a single day for the first two organizations and further received a Letter of Recognition from the city of Jacksonville N.C. For her work with the latter.