Marcus Garvey Gillespie, a father of eight who became a substitute teacher at Woodlawn High School after retiring as a carpenter, died of cancer Monday. He was 72.

Mr. Gillespie began his career as a forklift operator at Bethlehem Steel, where he worked for 15 years. The longtime Baltimore resident then worked as a carpenter at both the Liberty and Harbor campuses of Baltimore City Community College before retiring in 1993.

He is survived by his wife, Kaye Thompson Gillespie; three sons, Marcus G. Gillespie Jr. and Robert Gillespie, both of Delaware, and Rickey Gillespie of North Carolina; and five daughters, Carolyn Gillespie and Rosina Gillespie, both of Baltimore, and Jacqueline Williams, Lenora White and Sylvia Thomas, all of Delaware. Mr. Gillespie was preceded in death by his 10 siblings.

In 1998, he joined the Family Life Ministries Church in Catonsville, where a memorial service was held last night. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a scholarship fund in Mr. Gillespie's name at Woodlawn High School, in care of Mrs. Evelyn Bostic, 1801 Woodlawn Drive, Baltimore 21207.