Elizabeth Gaston

Elizabeth Rost Gaston, beloved mother, grandmother, aunt and friend passed peacefully on November 12th, 2024 at the age of 90.  Her last moments were in the company of her loving daughter, son in law, and long term nursing assistants. A woman of faith, she received the final sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church.

Elizabeth was born on her father’s birthday, February 7, 1934. She was a gift, not only to her father, Alan Rost, but to all who her knew her throughout her long life. Her early years were spent in Minnesota. In high school, she moved with her family to Memphis, then on to Little Rock, Arkansas where she attended Mount St. Mary’s Academy. She later graduated from Webster College in St. Louis with a degree in Education and became a teacher.

She married Michael Linton Smith in June of 1958 and started her family in Georgia, giving birth to Matthew Linton, Catherine Louise and Patrick Battle. After her divorce, she moved her young family to Little Rock, Arkansas in a VW Beetle. There, her challenges continued when, after fourteen months, her youngest son died of the measles. Fortunately, she had support from her parents, but for a single mother raising children in the 60s there were plenty of life's challenges.

Even for women with a college degree, the work world in the sixties provided few sustainable job opportunities. Elizabeth worked in the offices of several organizations, including the March of Dimes and Blue Cross Blue Shield. In the late 60s she was hired at Philander Smith College as the Assistant Director of the Upward Bound program. In that position she had administrative duties that were more suited to her education, creativity and temperament. She gave that position her all. Beyond routine administrative duties, she advocated for her her students fearlessly. She stood down the Little Rock police who wanted to search the boys dormitories without a warrant. She faced off with the owner of a swimming hole who didn’t want any Philander Smith students swimming in his water.

Her next job allowed her to more fully realize her professional and social justice goals. She was hired by the Arkansas Department of Education to supervise Follow Through, a Federal Title 1 program - a position that required a Masters Degree, which she avidly pursued and achieved.

Her supervisor at the Arkansas D.O.E was Sara Alderman Murphy, who founded the Arkansas chapter of The Panel of American Woman in 1963. Elizabeth became an active member shortly afterwards. It provided, for her, an opportunity to learn more about women’s experiences and to share her own as a professional, single mother in the South.

Elizabeth remained at the Arkansas D.O.E. until her retirement. Later in life, she married Alton Gaston and remained with him until his death in 2011. Not long afterwards she moved to Montclair, NJ to live closer to her daughter. As she became older and her health declined, Catherine worked selflessly to manage her needs until her eventual passing.

If a sign of character is the list of friends a person brings with them through the years, Elizabeth’s list was long. Throughout her life she was a a bold voice for those who, through no fault of their own, had been treated unfairly. This quality earned her the love and respect of all who knew her.

Throughout her life, Elizabeth’s commitment to her family was unshakable. She prioritized her children’s needs. She took them on vacations, funded school trips, sent them to college and committed a thousand other selfless acts. She demonstrated the same fidelity to her children and the grandchildren. She is survived by: Matthew Smith, Catherine Smith Halbert (Douglas),  her grandchildren Dylan Edeal-Smith (Chloe), Juliet Smith, Declan Halbert and Louise Halbert. Stepchildren David Gaston, Andy Gaston, Richard Gaston and their families. She also leaves behind countless nieces and nephews who will forever cherish the memories of their wonderful “Aunt Liz”; A woman whose smile lit up every room she entered.

In lieu of flowers the family requests any memorials be made to Saint Jude’s Children's Hospital.