Marie L (Toth) Gall

Gall, Marie Toth died on January 17, 2021 at Hebrew Senior Life in Roslindale, MA.    

 “Mimi” as she was known to family and her Connecticut friends re-located to West Roxbury from Fairfield, CT in 2006 to be near her daughters Suzanne Gall Marsh and Victoria Gall.  She lived at Sophia Snow Place in both Independent and Supportive Living.    She served as president of the Residents Council, volunteered with Crafters Group, planned special programs with the Activities Directors including “Tea with Isabella Stewart Gardner”, boat trips to Spectacle Island and a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts to view items donated by Sophia Snow, a benefactor of the Roxbury Home for Aged Women.  Marie and her daughters were intrigued to learn more about Sophia Snow and did research for several years visiting libraries and archives.  Their research culminated in a March 2020 presentation by Patty Roggeveen, president/CEO of Sophia Snow Place. 

Marie was born in 1924 in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  She moved at an early age to Bridgeport, CT with her parents Barnabas P. Toth, Mary S. Toth and grandfather Joseph Sebock where they established deep roots in the Hungarian community.  Her brother Robert was born with special needs.  Both parents were active in civic and community affairs.  They nurtured the seeds of her wide ranging interests and activism. 

Marie met her late husband, Atty. Edward S. Gall, also of Hungarian descent, in Bridgeport.  They married in 1949 and later divorced.   “Eddie and Mimi” remained loving parents and steadfast supporters of each other.

After the 1956 Hungarian Revolution Marie and her parents helped countless refugees who emigrated to the area.  Marie volunteered at the International Institute, taught English and made life-long friends.  Between 1957-1964 Marie earned a B.A. in History and M.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Bridgeport.   She was a special education teacher and later the Executive Director of the Kennedy Center in Bridgeport, a support services organization started in 1951 by parent of children with disabilities and also the Executive Director of the Association of Retarded Citizens, New Haven.

Girl Scouts were an important part of Marie’s life.   As a young adult she was selected to participate in Camp Edith Macy known as the Girl Scout University.   During the early-mid 1960s  she worked as a Unit Leader and Program Director for the summer day camp “Treeland” operated by the (former) Pequannock G.S. Council.  In the mid-late 1980s she served on the Housatonic G.S. Council Board of Directors as Treasurer.

Marie was a Real Estate Broker in her family’s business the Toth Agency, later known as Toth-Formato, from 1976-1987.  She served as Chairman, of the Urban Revitalization Committee, Greater Bridgeport Board of Realtors and was an instructor at Sacred Heart University Continuing Ed. Department for “Real Estate Practices and Principles.”  History was always a passion and she served on the Black Rock Community Council Steering Committee and was Chairman of the Black Rock “Walking Through History Tour.” When the Bloodroot Vegetarian Restaurant and Bookstore opened in the Black Rock neighborhood, Marie was a regular and recommended the restaurant to countless number of people.  For a few years she also washed dishes and took orders at the front desk. 

Marie was very proud of her Hungarian heritage and spoke the language. She and Vicky traveled to Budapest while it was still under Communist Regime.  Other trips to Hungary were with a Road Scholar tour, with Suzanne and then Suzanne and son-in-law George Marsh.  During these visits she renewed connections with relatives and purchased crafts that she sold through her Hungarian Folk Art business. 

Marie was a life-long volunteer juggling these activities with family, work and school.  She drove for the American Cancer Society taking patients to medical appointments, helped the Red Cross with disaster relief, was an AIDS buddy, served on the Executive Committee of Jobs with Peace/Nuclear Arms Freeze, worked at the Audubon Birdcraft Museum in Fairfield, and organized the Bridgeport and Fairfield Stamp Clubs.  

Traveling and enjoying new experiences gave her much pleasure.  The “Gall Girls” visited family and friends around the United States and she made trips to Italy, England, Romania, Holland, Greece and Turkmenistan when Vicky served in the Peace Corps.

Later in life Marie began working as a library aide at the Fairfield Public Library.  This combined with her family and numerous community activities kept her more than busy.  She enjoyed driving to Boston with her mother to visit “the girls.”   

Marie is survived by Victoria Gall of Hyde Park, MA, Suzanne Gall Marsh and partner George Marsh of Roslindale, MA. In Marie’s memory our family asks you to, “Do a good turn daily” the Girl Scout slogan since 1912.  There will be a remembrance gathering later in 2021.