Ina Walkup Marquis

Mrs. Ina Walkup Marquis died peacefully November 15, 2008 in Charlotte, N.C. at age 91. Ina and her twin sister, Ima Walkup Whately, were born in Ramsey, West Virginia on July 20, 1917 to parents, James Harrison and Mamie Jane Fox Walkup. Ina grew up in small towns in West Virginia. Following graduation from Montgomery High School, she moved to Charleston, West Virginia, where she graduated from Charleston School of Commerce in 1939. Her first professional position was in the statehouse in Charleston to help set up the social security system for West Virginia. The same year she met and married Harold Edwin Marquis II, a young man only for months younger, who also had a twin sister. Their family grew to four children.
In 1950, Harold was promoted in the electric power industry and they moved their family to Madison, Indiana, a picturesque small town on the Ohio River, where they lived and raised their family for 43 years. Ina retired from Madison State Hospital when she was 67 years old; over the years she had worked in the Chaplain's Office, Department of Social Service, and Superintendent's Office. She was active in Madison Presbyterian Church and was a Hospice volunteer, visiting with hospice patients in their homes. In 1997, Harold and Ina moved to Charlotte, N.C. to be near some of their children.
She appreciated music throughout her life. She always had the radio on while she worked at home. She loved the old church hymns that she learned in her youth and sang them to her babies till they knew them by heart. Ina and Harold had a reputation as beautiful ballroom dancers. They met on a blind date through mutual friends and went dancing. Their honeymoon trip of a lifetime for the young couple was a week in New York City, where they danced to the big bands of the day. She said, "We were beside ourselves with joy to hear the sounds of the bands in person."
Ina loved being a mother and creating a home for her family. She had a warm smile, naturally curly hair, big blue eyes, and an amazing memory for details. She was known by her family and friends for warm and gracious entertaining. She continued to be interested in learning all her life, mastering the computer in her 80's, following news events on CNN, listening to books on tape and taking trips with friends and family. She looked forward to the holidays. When she was admitted to the hospital for her last illness she was anticipating being discharged and going to the polls to vote.
She is survived be her twin sister, Ima Walkup Whately, of Roanoke, Va.; daughter, Dr. Ina Sue Marquis Bishop and husband, Randal, of Charlotte, N.C., daughter, Nancy Marquis Vaughn, of Atlanta; son, Harold Edwin Marquis, III and wife, Susan, of Houston, Texas, and son, Dr. Milton Harrison Marquis, of Tallahassee, Fla.; grandchildren, Lisa Jackson, of Dallas, Heather Vaughn, of Atlanta, Jon Bishop, of Charlotte, Samantha Ahmed, of Houston, Texas, Heather Suzanne Bishop, of Philadelphia, Renee Schwandt, of Connecticut, Nicole Marquis, of Chicago; great-grandchildren, Kirsten, Jillian, Amanda, Lillian, Christopher, Isabelle; and dear nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, Harley Walkup, Steve Dalton Walkup, George Donald Walkup, sisters-in-law, Fanella Marquis Jenkins, Margaret Marquis Lance, Naomi Walkup and Shirley Walkup, brothers-in-law, Milton Marquis, Frank Marquis, Dr. William Marquis and Charles Whately Sr. and son -in-law, Donald Wayne Vaughn.
The family would like to thank the staff of The Laurels, and Hospice House of Hospice and Palliative Care of Charlotte, for their care and support.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the McEwen Funeral Service at Sharon Memorial Park and a Memorial Service to celebrate the life of Ina Marquis will be Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 11 a.m. at the McEwen Funeral Service Chapel and the burial will follow in Sharon Memorial Park.
Online condolences for the family may be made to: www.MEM.com
The arrangements for the Marquis family have been entrusted to McEwen Funeral Service at Sharon Memorial Park, 5716 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28212 704-334-6421.