Livestream Link to the Mass for Gary Zayas, Sr.

Gary Lee Zayas, Sr., 71, of Brunswick, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Sunday, March 15, 2026, after a hard-fought battle against cancer.  Gary was born on August 23, 1954, in Cleveland, OH, the son of the late Elpidio Zayas and Connie Emory.

Gary was a lifelong resident of the area and a 1972 graduate of West Technical High School.  He retired from Momentive Technologies (formerly Union Carbide/Advanced Ceramics) after 31 years of service in 2015.  In his younger years, Gary was an avid bowler, competing in several leagues.  He also enjoyed playing softball and riding his motorcycle.

Gary truly loved traveling to Las Vegas. Over the years, he made many friends during his travels there.  Those friendships, more than the gambling, are what brought him back several times a year.  He was also a big sports fan, and he especially enjoyed watching the Cleveland Browns.  He was excited when online gambling made its way to Ohio, as he was able to merge his love of gambling with his love of sports.

The biggest love of Gary's life was his wife, Mary Lynn.  When they became empty nesters, they took many trips and numerous cruises to the Caribbean.  Gary loved their vacation trips and was always up for the onboard games or the conga lines through the resort.  It was during this time of his life that they relocated to Brunswick, where he lived for over 22 years, the longest he lived in one place.  They joined St. Ambrose Church, and Gary enjoyed activities there, such as the annual festival.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his niece, Melissa Bartleson.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Lynn (Marsich) Zayas, with whom he shared nearly 53 years of marriage; children, Karen (Steve) Pearsall and Gary (Margaret) Zayas, Jr.; grandchildren, Carmen McGervey, Gabriella Solivan, Marisa Zayas, and Gary Zayas III; great-grandchildren, Ariana Reiter and Laylah Reiter; sister, Gail Rose; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, from 4-7 pm at Waite Funeral Home – Brunswick Chapel.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 10 am at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Brunswick.  Burial will follow at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: www.stjude.org.  Messages of comfort and support may be sent to Gary's family at www.waitefuneralhome.com.