Mary Alice Sheridan Gayton began her journey on earth October 1, 1945, in Fulton, NY and her journey ended April 2, 2022, in Gainesville, FL. She married the love of her life, Kenneth (Kenny) Sheridan Jr., on her 18th birthday. The Air Force took Mary and Kenny to North Dakota shortly after they were married, where they lived for three years before returning to New York. Mary was a loving and caring mother to her five children and enjoyed her time as a homemaker. Mary and Kenny moved to Florida in 1977 and spent time in Gainesville and Clearwater until Kenny passed away in 2000. Mary was an avid lover of squirrels and skunks, having a de-scented skunk as a household pet while the children were growing up.
She remarried in 2001 to Fred Gayton and their time was split between Texas and Florida before he passed away in 2008. Mary filled her time playing bingo, being a grandmother, cruising the Caribbean, she loved to sit outside, feeding and befriending the squirrels, even naming a 3-legged squirrel “Stumpy.
Mary is preceded in death by her parents Earl and Helen DeLore, her adoptive parents Ray and Mary Alice LaBeef, her first husband Kenneth Sheridan Jr., her second husband Frederick Gayton, her daughter Michelle “Crickett” Williams. Mary is survived by her son Edward (Susan) Sheridan of Gainesville, FL, daughter Shannon (Scott) Zimmermann of Gainesville, FL, son Mark (Kelly) Sheridan of Alachua, FL, son Keith (Christina) Sheridan of Newberry, FL, grandchildren Andrew Sheridan, Candace (Sheridan) Lyons, Mitchell Zimmermann, Brandi Zimmermann, Jerred Kemp III, Dustin Williams, Chantelle Williams, Landon Sanders, Majestic Sheridan, Matthew Sheridan, Jaylee Sheridan and many great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on April 13 th at 2:00 pm at Forest Meadows Funeral Home, 725 NW 23rd
Ave, Gainesville, FL 32609. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations made to Haven Hospice.
I miss you, my best friend. You weren’t afraid to tell me about my wrongdoing, even when I was a ‘wild child’ teenager. I figured out the first time I smarted off to you and I was HALF the distance from the door than you were, and you still snatched me up and said “you gonna call ME a bitch again?” That actually became a joke with us when I hit 50!
I’ll remember every Kickstart and my Starbucks Carmel coffees you bought me. ‘Shan, the bag in living room is for you’ even when I told her to stop buying them.
Her extended family is on BigFish casino, and her club members miss her dearly.
Mom, you’re gonna be missed by EVERYONE who’s life you touched. Even though I had no peanuts, Winky came up. That was her favorite squirrel because he was blind in one eye like my dad Kenny was. I’ll see you again mom. You already know I love you!