Alberta Gay
Encyclopedia
Alberta Cooper Gay was the mother of influential Motown singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye
and singer-songwriter Frankie Gaye
, wife of minister Marvin Gay, Sr. and the grandmother of singer-actress Nona Gaye
. Gay was the only other witness to be present on the day of her son Marvin's sudden death at his father's hands
.
, Cooper eventually moved to Washington, D.C.
with a relative after having a son out of wedlock. Her son, Michael, ended up being raised by relatives in D.C. Around this time she met a young minister from Kentucky
named Marvin Pentz Gay. The couple married on July 2, 1935 and Cooper gave birth to her first child with her husband, a daughter named Jeanne, born in 1937. Two years later, on April 2, 1939, son Marvin Gay, Jr. was born. Alberta later gave birth to two more children, son Frances (or Frankie) in 1941 and daughter Zeola (nicknamed "Sweetsie") in 1945. Alberta and the elder Marvin raised their four children under the strict rules governing a Seventh Day Adventist home.
The Gay family reportedly had a rough upbringing while growing up in the D.C. projects. Since "Father Gay" didn't have a steady job, Alberta found work as both a domestic
and as a teacher
of a local elementary school. According to biographies written about Marvin Gaye, Alberta reportedly had to stop her husband from further disciplining his four children, the younger Marvin in particular, who later grew up and adapted a rebellious
attitude in a way to go against his father's strict rules. Alberta said she also encouraged the young Marvin to pursue his later dreams of a secular singing career despite his father's strict refusal to allow his son to participate in such activity.
After leaving home to join The Moonglows
in 1959, Marvin later adapted an e to his last name upon joining Motown Records
as a soloist eventually rising to fame as the label's best-selling male vocalist during the 1960s and 1970s. Throughout the years, Marvin kept a close bond with his mother, with whom Jeanne Gay later called, a "spiritual guru" to Marvin saying that she'd always allowed Marvin to express his inner demons to her. Marvin later moved his parents to Los Angeles
. Alberta's marriage to Marvin Sr. had always been contentious and sometimes abusive. Marvin Sr. constantly cheated on her and would often commit domestic abuse against her. In late 1982, Alberta was rushed to a California hospital to undergo surgery on a new kidney which caused her son Marvin, who had moved to Belgium
after problems with the IRS had mounted, to abruptly return to California to tend to his mother. Marvin also had a hit record at the time and a punishing tour left him sapped especially, after a brief sobriety period while in Belgium, with strong usage of cocaine
, a drug Marvin had been using off and on since the late 1960s.
Moving in with his mother at the end of his tour in 1983, Marvin isolated himself from everyone while trying to keep a distance from his father, during rows the two had. After the former minister Marvin Sr. had developed alcoholism
, his relationship with Alberta had grown worse and the couple were constantly arguing, much to the chagrin of their son, who was having his own marital and domestic troubles with girlfriends and one of his ex-wives.
pistol that Marvin had ironically purchased for his father during Christmas of the previous year and shoot her son directly in the chest fatally wounding Gaye. Alberta screamed and called for help from her son Frankie and his wife Irene, who heard the shots next door. Gaye was later pronounced dead and following a funeral, where Alberta kissed her son's forehead at his casket, she filed for divorce from Marvin Sr., who later served probation after pleading no contest to a manslaughter
charge in his son's death. Later moving in with her daughter Jeanne in her home in Burbank, Cooper died in 1987 of bone cancer. She was 74 years old.
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and singer-songwriter Frankie Gaye
Frankie Gaye
Frankie Gaye was a singer and the younger brother of the more famous singer Marvin Gaye. Born the son of minister Marvin Pentz Gay, Sr. and domestic Alberta Cooper in Washington, D.C., Frances watched as Marvin became a superstar...
, wife of minister Marvin Gay, Sr. and the grandmother of singer-actress Nona Gaye
Nona Gaye
Nona Marvisa Gaye is an American singer, former fashion model, and screen actress. The daughter of soul music legend Marvin Gaye and granddaughter of jazz great Slim Gaillard, she began her career as a vocalist in the early 1990s...
. Gay was the only other witness to be present on the day of her son Marvin's sudden death at his father's hands
Death of Marvin Gaye
On April 1, 1984, Marvin Gaye was fatally shot by his father, Marvin Gaye, Sr. in the West Adams district of Los Angeles at their house on Gramercy Place. Gaye was shot twice after an altercation he had with his father after intervening in an argument between the elder Gaye and his mother Alberta...
.
Biography
Born in North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Cooper eventually moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
with a relative after having a son out of wedlock. Her son, Michael, ended up being raised by relatives in D.C. Around this time she met a young minister from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
named Marvin Pentz Gay. The couple married on July 2, 1935 and Cooper gave birth to her first child with her husband, a daughter named Jeanne, born in 1937. Two years later, on April 2, 1939, son Marvin Gay, Jr. was born. Alberta later gave birth to two more children, son Frances (or Frankie) in 1941 and daughter Zeola (nicknamed "Sweetsie") in 1945. Alberta and the elder Marvin raised their four children under the strict rules governing a Seventh Day Adventist home.
The Gay family reportedly had a rough upbringing while growing up in the D.C. projects. Since "Father Gay" didn't have a steady job, Alberta found work as both a domestic
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
and as a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
of a local elementary school. According to biographies written about Marvin Gaye, Alberta reportedly had to stop her husband from further disciplining his four children, the younger Marvin in particular, who later grew up and adapted a rebellious
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
attitude in a way to go against his father's strict rules. Alberta said she also encouraged the young Marvin to pursue his later dreams of a secular singing career despite his father's strict refusal to allow his son to participate in such activity.
After leaving home to join The Moonglows
The Moonglows
The Moonglows were an American R&B and doo-wop group based in Cleveland, Ohio.-Early years:Originally formed in their native Louisville, Kentucky as the Crazy Sounds, the group moved to Cleveland, where disc jockey Alan Freed renamed them 'the Moonglows'...
in 1959, Marvin later adapted an e to his last name upon joining Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
as a soloist eventually rising to fame as the label's best-selling male vocalist during the 1960s and 1970s. Throughout the years, Marvin kept a close bond with his mother, with whom Jeanne Gay later called, a "spiritual guru" to Marvin saying that she'd always allowed Marvin to express his inner demons to her. Marvin later moved his parents to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Alberta's marriage to Marvin Sr. had always been contentious and sometimes abusive. Marvin Sr. constantly cheated on her and would often commit domestic abuse against her. In late 1982, Alberta was rushed to a California hospital to undergo surgery on a new kidney which caused her son Marvin, who had moved to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
after problems with the IRS had mounted, to abruptly return to California to tend to his mother. Marvin also had a hit record at the time and a punishing tour left him sapped especially, after a brief sobriety period while in Belgium, with strong usage of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, a drug Marvin had been using off and on since the late 1960s.
Moving in with his mother at the end of his tour in 1983, Marvin isolated himself from everyone while trying to keep a distance from his father, during rows the two had. After the former minister Marvin Sr. had developed alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, his relationship with Alberta had grown worse and the couple were constantly arguing, much to the chagrin of their son, who was having his own marital and domestic troubles with girlfriends and one of his ex-wives.
Son's death
On the night of March 31, 1984, Alberta and Marvin, Sr. began arguing over misplaced business documents, including an important insurance policy, which Alberta later claimed Marvin Sr. had blamed directly on her. The argument escalated causing Gaye to wake up from a drug stupor arguing to his father to leave his mother alone. The two men didn't escalate into violence that night. The next morning, April 1, 1984, Alberta and Marvin Sr. began arguing again when Gaye again addressed his father. This time, a struggle ensued and a physical fight resulted in Marvin Sr. being pushed and kicked at by his son. Alberta told the police that she got Gaye out of his father's bedroom and tried consoling her son, who reportedly told her that he was "packing my stuff and getting out of here, Father hates me and I'm never coming back." Alberta then said she saw her husband calmly walk in with a .38.38
.38 refers to the type of firearm and firearm cartridges.The .38 is considered a large caliber firearm cartridge; Anything larger than .32 is considered a large caliber, and one of the most common handguns manufactured in the United States...
pistol that Marvin had ironically purchased for his father during Christmas of the previous year and shoot her son directly in the chest fatally wounding Gaye. Alberta screamed and called for help from her son Frankie and his wife Irene, who heard the shots next door. Gaye was later pronounced dead and following a funeral, where Alberta kissed her son's forehead at his casket, she filed for divorce from Marvin Sr., who later served probation after pleading no contest to a manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
charge in his son's death. Later moving in with her daughter Jeanne in her home in Burbank, Cooper died in 1987 of bone cancer. She was 74 years old.