Elo Otley Gaskins

Celebration of Life Elo Otley Gaskins entered this world on July 16, 1944 and was called to his heavenly home on July 2, 2021. Elo, affectionately called Mickey by his family, was the third of four children born to the late Elo Gaskins and Evelyn Bowling. He was preceded in death by his sister Wilma Gaskins and brother Porteal Gaskins. Elo was born in Scranton, South Carolina. Shortly after his birth, his family relocated to Washington, D.C. where Elo attended Antioch Baptist Church. Later in life he became a member of the Agape Mens Club at Antioch. Educated in the D.C. public school system, Elo graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1964. While attending Roosevelt he participated in the ROTC program and played football. He went on to graduate from St. Paul’s College (Lawrenceville, Virginia) where he was a member of the football team and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He later completed a degree in Accounting at Benjamin Franklin University (now George Washington University). Elo had a long and varied career in finance from working in the finance office at Woodward & Lothrop to being a director in finance at Washington Hospital Center where he oversaw the distribution of millions of dollars in charity. He did financial work at banks, federal credit unions and a university. Wherever he worked, he always served as a mentor to those junior to him. He met his forever love, Helen June Daniels, whom he affectionately referred to as “J.D.” in January 1971 and they were inseparable from that day forward. They married on August 2, 2006. During the course of their relationship, they traveled the world with their friends. Elo was a gifted storyteller, avid fisherman, sports enthusiast, and lover of all genres of music, especially jazz. Elo is survived by his wife Helen June Daniels; four sisters, Betty Johnson, Eleathia Jones, Charnita Dobbs (David), and Marquita Kouyate (Ousmane); three brothers Sampson, Detron and Monwell Gaskins; and many dear nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. God saw the road was getting rough, The hills so hard to climb, He gently closed your loving eyes And whispered “Peace be Thine.” The weary hours, the days of pain The sleepless nights are passed The ever-patient worn out frame Has found sweet rest at last.