Marilyn Cail

Marilyn “Teddy” Joan Cail July 27, 1926 – December 17, 2022 Marilyn was born in Toronto, Ontario in a loving home and grew up during the depression. She realized her need of a Saviour while attending a camp when she was 16 and was born again into God’s family. After graduating from high school and spending some time at the University of Toronto, she transferred to Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University) in South Carolina and graduated with a degree in Biblical Education. She had surrendered her life to the Lord Jesus Christ for His service, wherever that might be. It was there at Bible College that she met James “Jim” Nelson Cail, from Charlotte, NC, in whom God had also been working. They married and joined Sudan Interior Mission (today known simply as SIM). Feeling God’s call to Francophone Africa, they went to France to study French, and also began their family, which continued to grow over the next eight years until there were six children. In 1953, they traveled by ship to the country now known as the Republic of Benin (in West Africa) and began their ministry among the Baatonu people, first in evangelism and eventually launching a Bible school in the Baatonu language. Marilyn’s ministry involved helping Jim among the Baatonu and being a wife and mother. Raising six children is not a minor task! After Jim became a Type 1 diabetic in 1963, she also carried the responsibility of helping him maintain his diet and total regime. In 1970, they returned to the United States for ten years in order to care for family needs. After all the children were out of the home, Jim and Marilyn went back to Benin for another ten years of ministry, especially helping to train leaders who could not go to a residential Bible school. In 1989, they retired from the field, and after a couple of years serving in SIM’s home office, they retired fully. Since the early 1990’s, Jim and Marilyn poured themselves into their family, especially adult children and growing grandchildren. They were both faithful in visiting shut-ins, some younger than they were! Jim preceded his beloved Teddy to heaven in March 2015. Before she joined him, she lost a great-grandchild, Samuel, to brain cancer, and then her youngest son, Hal, also to cancer. Marilyn is survived by five children – Carolyn Estep (Neal), Jim Jr. (Jean), Grant (Regina), George (Kathryn), Sharon Miller (Craig), and daughter-in-law Martha – as well as 20 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren. One of Marilyn’s greatest desires was that God be glorified in her and in all her descendants, and she prayed daily to that end. Memorial gifts may be made to SIM for the Bariba Bible School in Benin (Bariba is the English equivalent of Baatonu). You may either send gifts directly to SIM USA, 14830 Choate Circle, Charlotte, NC 28273 and designate for the Bariba Bible School, or online at https://www.simusa.org/give/ and type in Bariba Bible School in the box to select a project. This school holds a special place in the Cail family as Jim and Marilyn started that school. A service to celebrate her life will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at Calvary Church, 5801 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28226. The family will receive friends at the church from 9 AM until the time of service.