The Life of Jeffrey L. Marcelle
Obituary
Jeffrey Lincoln Marcelle of Covington, GA, returned to his heavenly Father on April 29, 2016, at the age of 75. Born in Trinidad, West Indies, Jeffrey moved to the United States in 1967. He worked as a Boilermaker in New York City for 30 years, while residing in Roselle, New Jersey with his family. He and his wife, Madonna, retired to Covington in 2006. Jeffrey was a valued member of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. He loved listening to and dancing to Caribbean and Jazz music. He often welcomed friends and family into their home. Gardening was his favorite hobby. Jeffrey was a loving, energetic, and generous gentleman who cherished his loved ones. He was preceded in death by his parents, Theophilus and Rosanna (Marcelle) Streete; granddaughter, Akila Marcelle, and his sisters, Veronica Hessic and Phyllis Williams.
Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Madonna Marcelle; daughter and son-in-law, LeAndra and Steven Thompson; son and daughter-in-law, Ian and Caroline Marcelle; five grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild, sisters, Agatha Marcelle, Verona Thomas, Marva Sealey; brothers, Lloyd Streete, Charlie Streete, Kenneth Thomas, Patrick Streete, Desmond Streete; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and beloved friends.
The Mass of Christian Burial occurred at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Covington, Georgia. The Rite of Committal was held at the West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwd, Pennsylvania.
I am very proud to say that Jeffrey Lincoln Marcelle was my Daddy.
As the first man in my life, he set a mighty example of what it means to be a man of genuine character. Family was always Daddy’s top priority. He created time to spend with my mother and me despite working long, hard hours and battling New York traffic day in and day out. Not once do I ever remember my father pushing his little girl away because he was “too tired.” Daddy was constantly reaching out to family members and friends both near and far. Impromptu “get-togethers” were not uncommon in our home. Entertaining was his specialty. He could make any guest feel extraordinary. And if it was around Christmastime…oh, forget about it! My Dad lived on cloud nine during the holidays. Among my most favorite memories were our intimate New Year’s Eve parties for three: Mommy, Daddy, and me in pajamas, sampling hors d’oeuvres galore, watching the ball drop on TV, listening and dancing to Caribbean carols in the background. Speaking of dancing, anyone who knew my father knows how much he loved to dance. Whenever you heard his maracas or other noisemakers come out, you knew there was no hiding from his gentle coaxing onto the dance floor.
Daddy’s pride in his work was manifested in his career as a Boilermaker as well as in the way he took care of our home. You would frequently find him doing projects, whether he was tinkering about the house or outside beautifying his yard. The last several years, his vegetable garden became his baby! You also couldn’t miss the twinkling in his blue-brown eyes when he told stories of growing up in his beloved Trinidad. Watching him care for and appreciate what God gave him taught me how to respect the blessings in my own life.
“God is love” he would often say. God’s love surely shone through my Daddy. His light drew people to him like a moth to a flame. I often admired his ability to make friends out of perfect strangers in a matter of minutes. You know my Dad truly loved you if at any point you were subject to one of his lectures. It didn’t matter if you were 5 or 85. However, his words were always uttered with the intention of guiding you into being a better person. Because of my father’s awesome example of love, I learned how to recognize genuine love in my relationships, and my life has blossomed because of that.
The name Jeffrey Marcelle is synonymous with generosity, with compassion, and with benevolence. Even people who haven’t been around Daddy in years or those who may have never even known his name, can recall him because of his kind spirit. Whenever loved ones gather together, story after story about how Jeffrey was good to them fills the air. This afternoon and for many more to come, those stories will once again fill the air and our spirits.
Thank you just isn’t enough, Daddy, for all the ways in which you have enriched all of our lives. You were the rock of our family and the glue in our relationships. Words cannot express how much you are loved and how deeply you will be missed. We find comfort in knowing that as long as we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, that we will one day see you again in Paradise.
