Myra Gamell of Sands Point died on January 9, 2015 at her home on Barkers Point Road at the age of 85. Myra was an award winning actress in the 1940’s and 1950’s in Off-Broadway, live radio and television under the stage name Myra Martin. She later directed and produced equity professional dinner theatre of note in New York and New Jersey. She was also the creator of the “Crime Prevention Through Drama” program of the Queens D.A.’s office in the 1960’s. As a plaintiff in the landmark, first “brain damaged baby” case in New York, Gamell v. Mt. Sinai, Myra was a pioneer in the fight for the rights of victims of obstetric malpractice. She was also an activist and fundraiser for A.H.R.C. New York and Nassau County Chapters, and a founding member of the Auction Committee for Camp Loyaltown, an AHRC/Nassau summer facility in the Catskills for developmentally disabled children and adults. In Sands Point, Myra led the fight to preserve the landscape marvel “Grand Allee” of the Village Club of Sands Point when the club’s golf course was expanded; the “allee” was then used as the club’s official logo for many years.
A resident of Hollywood, Florida for over a decade, Myra summered at her beloved house in Sands Point, where she died of a lengthy illness. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Eugene; her children Dr. Lisa Gamell, Tracy Gamell and Mark Gamell, and daughter-in-law Doreen Gamell; grand-children Samantha Iglesias, Jenny Jared and Ashley Gamell; and great-grandchildren Dylan and Faye Jared. Committal was at Nassau Knolls Cemetery in Port Washington on January 13, 2015. The family requests that donations in Myra’s memory be made to the Camp Loyaltown Auction, 189 Wheatley Road, #3, Brookville, N.Y. 11545, mailed to attn: Karen Harris.
