Mara Jay Gardner Obituary

We are sad to announce that on May 31, 2024, at the age of 29, Mara Jay Gardner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, born in New London, Connecticut passed away. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Mara Jay Gardner to pay them a last tribute.

As we bid farewell to this luminous soul, let her loved ones carry forward the torch of her memory, illuminating the path ahead with the warmth of her love and the brilliance of her spirit. Though Mara Jay may journey beyond the horizon of our sight, her essence remains woven into the very fabric of our being — a guiding light in the darkness, a beacon of hope in the night.

She was predeceased by: her grandfather Tom Gardner. She is survived by: her parents, Kenyatta Upchurch and Kenneth Gardner; her sister Zoe Vincent; and her grandparents, William, Lydia Upchurch and Alexandra Gardner Nelson.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Chapel Hill Zen Center or any LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in Mara's memory.