Obituary of Martha Scheryl Gant

Martha Scheryl Gant was born on January 20, 1949, in the state of New York to Ms. Alvina Alston and Mr. Leroy Gant, Sr. From the age of 6 she was raised by Leroy and her stepmom, Mabel Gibbons Gant, along with 2 of their other children. Scheryl loved to sing and had a lovely soprano voice. In her youth she belonged to a junior singing group, “The Chamberites” in White Plains, NY in addition to often singing with her younger siblings Deborah and Leroy, Jr. Later in life she became a faithful member of the Abundant Life church in Beverly, NJ., where she sang in their Abundant Life Fellowship Choir. In addition, she was a member of Abundant Life Sisters of Excellence life group, Exhale Women's Fellowship and she worked with the Kids Nursery/Toddler Ministry before she became ill. Scheryl also loved fine dining and attending cultural events. She was a very bright student with an easy outgoing personality. After graduating Woodlands High school in Westchester County, NY she attended Fordham University, Bronx, NY. While there she received a scholarship and transferred to New York’s Columbia University School of Journalism. Scheryl blossomed into an accomplished and dedicated professional who was able to adapt to several different career fields. She was certified as a computer operator and worked at Avon in Westchester County. Shortly her skills and love of journalism led her to work for several papers owned by the Gannett Westchester Newspaper group before being recruited by “The Charlotte Observer” in NC where she worked for several years. She relaunched her career turning to the hospitality industry where she worked at several hotels before elevating to Training Manager at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. After a downturn in that industry, she became an Executive Assistant for a department director at an HMO. Highly regarded, in 2004 she was referred to Thomas Edison State University in Trenton, NJ where she became a Manager/Associate Fellow at their John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy until illness forced her to retire in 2018. Prior to her retirement and even after she continued to utilize her superb journalism talent and conceptual skills to write grants, reports and articles for individuals and several organizations including the Teamsters Union, Exhale Women's Fellowship, Inc. and her church. On Saturday, February 10, 2024, Scheryl answered the call of her heavenly father. She was preceded in death by her mother Mrs. Alvina (Alston) Murphy, her father Mr. Leroy Gant, Sr., Stepmother, Mrs. Mabel Gant, and a brother Mr. Gary Murphy. She leaves to cherish her memory four sisters and two brothers: Mrs. Jeanette C. Witter (Leon) of Yemassee, SC, Mrs. Deborah Gant-Hauges (Donald Small) of Augusta, GA, Mr. Leroy (TJ) Gant, Jr. (Joyce) of Browns Mills, N.J, Mr. Freddie Murphy of New York, NY, Ms. Patricia Murphy of New York, NY, Mrs. Cynthia Bennett (Curtis) of New York, NY and a host of nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.