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Obituary for Martha Whitfield Marley
"Be ye kind, one to another." Martha Marley, a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother, one who would always do what was right and what was kind passed away peacefully on August 5th, 2020. Many of the days were glorious with her family, as in all families, sometimes the days were hard to live through. But, she always made it through those times with the best thoughts of others. This resilience may go back to the early years of her growing up in Jackson. Martha was born July 3, 1934. Her parents were Mildred Potter Whitfield and John Whitfield. She and her older brother, John Lewis lived and grew up on Oxford, Avenue. From the first grade on through the sixth she walked to Duling Elementary School. After those years she caught the bus to Bailey Junior High, later she would join her friends for a ride to Central High in downtown Jackson. The school day done at Central, along with her friends Martha wandered Capitol Street, strolling through the Emporium and Kennington's, eating brownies at Primos, rolls at the Elite, then catching the bus on home. Weekends she loved going to the Pix Theater and on party nights jitterbugging at the Heidelberg Hotel. For a high school graduation party, she and her friends, Betty Ward and Lottie Brent held a street dance at the old Morgan Center, now known as Woodland Hills with the Red Tops playing and Rufus McKay singing his famous rendition of 'Danny Boy.' After high school Martha attended MSCW where she met the love of her life on a bus trip, John Marley who was a student at Mississippi State. They married on June 12, 1955. John was in the army, and Martha became an army wife. After John's years in the military were over, he worked for General Electric then later retired from Video Gaming Technologies. They had many moves with his career, moves that took them to Cleveland, Ohio, New Orleans, Louisiana, then back north to Cincinnati, Ohio, Detroit, Michigan. Martha had a love for beautiful things, while in Michigan she owned a gift shop in Petoskey. Once again the Marley's turned south, this time to Jackson, Mississippi and from there to Madisonville, Louisiana. During her years in Madisonville, Martha was active in PEO, enjoyed playing bridge and tending her beautiful riverfront lawn with a green house full of orchids. She and John were members of the First Baptist Church of Covington. Then the Marley's moved one more time. Back where it all began . . . home to Jackson. Martha was a member of the Recess Club, Meh Lady Luncheon Club and met once a month with her old high school friends, The Tiger Talkers. She is survived by her husband, of sixty-five years, John Allen Marley, her children, John Michael Marley, Mark William Marley( Libby), Melissa Martha Marley, and her grandchildren Garner Mark Marley, John William Marley (Lucia), Sarah Kathryn Marley, and Samuel Chase Whittington; and by her Precious Baby Shihtzu, Maddie. A Private Family Graveside service will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Hospice Ministries "Friends of the Gardens," 450 Towne Center Blvd., Ridgeland, Ms 39157 or to the charity of choice. Martha had a smile that could light up a room and make any ones day better. She was loyal to her family and friends, was greatly loved and will be dearly missed.