Phyllis Gaye Waage

Phyllis “Gaye” (Rust) Waage of Martinsville, NJ passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Saturday, May 24, 2025.  She is survived by her husband, C. Marc Waage; her three children, Phillip Waage, Marcia Waage McBurney (Jonathan) and Douglas Waage (Frida); five grandchildren, Justin, Sean (Riley), and Matthew McBurney, and Olivia and Carter Waage; and a sister, Joyce Viets.

Born March 18, 1942 in Arkansas City, Kansas, Gaye grew up in Arkansas City and Topeka.  She attended Topeka High School and was a member of the marching band and choir.  She attended Kansas State University and met her husband, Marc, on a blind date.  The couple were married on January 27, 1962 in Manhattan, KS.  After living in Kansas and Tacoma, Washington they finally settled in Parsippany, NJ in 1966 to begin raising their family.  The family moved once more to Bridgewater, NJ in 1977 into the Waage family homestead.

Gaye was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother.  Her family was her life, raising her children and helping to raise her grandchildren.  She could always be found in the front row of every one of their performances, usually before everyone else.  Grandma Gaye, GMa for short, was her favorite title.  She tended to adopt other children into her circle giving them the same love and care that she gave her own.  Many of her hours were spent in the car taking her children and grandchildren to all of their activities and friends’ homes.  She was always the first volunteer chaperoning ski trips, class trips and marching band trips.

In her spare time, she was an avid bridge player, playing in many bridge clubs over the years, the relationships as important as the games.  As her children were in school, she was a member of the PTO and served as President many times.  She loved to travel visiting Russia, Greece, Hungary, London, Netherlands, Canada, Bermuda and all over the United States.  Church played a large role in her life, being an active member of the Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, where she served as Deacon, rang handbells in the Chapel Ringers and sang in the Sanctuary Choir.

Gaye was the ultimate hostess at her home where she hosted picnics for the Martinsville Fire Department and Rescue Squad, the Hillside teachers, Bridgewater East Marching Bands, BR Choir program and so many more.  Her annual Christmas parties were legendary.

The viewings will be  held Friday, May 30th from 6 to 8 PM at Layton Funeral Home, 475 Main Street, Bedminster, NJ  07921 and Saturday, May 31th from 9 to 10:45 AM at Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, 279 Route 202/206, Pluckemin, NJ  07978 with the memorial service to follow at the church at 11:00 AM.  Interment will take place at Pluckemin Presbyterian Church Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Pluckemin Medical Equipment Ministry (https://ppcmem.org/support-us/financial-contributions) or St. Jude Childrens’ Research Hospital (stjude.org) or the Fellowship Home Care & Hospice (fellowshiplifeinc.org/foundation/plan).