Marie C. Gaug

Marie Catherine Gaug, 63, of Vestal, NY passed away on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 after her courageous battle with brain cancer. She was born on January 25, 1962 to John and Catherine Harnett and was raised in Stanhope, NJ. She had an idyllic childhood playing with her siblings and friends in the nearby woods, parks, and lakes while spending summers at the beach. She met her husband, Mark, while working one summer at Swartswood Lake and Mark interning with her father at Picatinny Arsenal.
Marie and Mark moved and established their family in Noblesville, Indiana where they made many life-long friends. In the summer of 1999, Marie, Mark, and their children moved to the rolling hills of Vestal, NY to be closer to family. She loved spending weekends at her sister Helen's farm, visiting her parents in neighboring NJ, and going on walks and to the movies with her children and husband. She was a retired, beloved teacher's aide at Vestal Hills Elementary School. Her kindness, patience, and unwavering belief in others left a lasting impact on all who knew her. She made so many wonderful memories with her outings and book club nights with her Vestal Hills friends.
Her heart, however, belonged to Long Beach Island, NJ. From carefree childhood summers to gatherings at beach houses filled with loving family and friends, LBI was her sanctuary. She found peace in the rhythm of the waves and joy in watching her children, nieces, nephews, and then grandchildren play in the surf and sand. For her, paradise was a simple walk on the beach, surrounded by the people she loved.
She is survived by her husband of 39 years, Mark Gaug; daughter Jacqueline (Michael) Jabaji; son Stephen (Jenny) Gaug; brothers: Mark (Pamela) Harnett and John (Susanne) Harnett; sister Helen (Daniel) Flaherty, and grandchildren: Thomas, Clara, and John Jabaji.. A funeral mass with lunch following will be held at 10:00am on Monday, March 17, 2025 at St. Vincent dePaul's Church 465 Clubhouse Road in Vestal. The family is honoring Marie's wishes to be cremated and has entrusted Barber Memorial Home with her care. The family requests donations in honor of Marie's memory to be sent to StacheStrong in Vestal, NY at www.stachestrong.org. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marie, please visit our floral store.