Merlene Wall

1931 - 2020

Merlene King Wall May 23, 1931 - February 17, 2020 CHARLOTTE - Merlene Wall, age 88, of Charlotte, NC passed away peacefully on Monday, February 17, 2020, following a brief illness. She was born in McDowell County, WVA to Lewis Eugene and Sylvia Marshall King. In addition to her mother and father, Merlene was preceded in death by her husband, Maynard "Slick" Wall and her brothers Robert King and Fred King. She is survived by her daughter Pat and husband Ray; her daughter Anne and her husband Bob; four grandchildren Jennifer, Lisa, Amy and Andrew; four great-grandchildren Ben, Caroline, Lucy and Rowan; her brother Louis King; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews and her life-long friends and traveling buddies. Merlene invested her life in service to her family and her community. As a mother she always lived what she taught us: respect others, do your best, tell the truth, finish what you start, be fair, be strong, be responsible, be generous, admit when you're wrong. And, when playing cards; think and play to win. Merlene loved her role as Grandma, and she was a remarkable grandmother. Her grandchildren will remember her joyous smile as she looked at them, and the song in her heart as she hummed during every task she did for them. They delighted her, and her grandkids are thankful for all the time and love she invested with them. She leaves then with a breadth of wonderful memories. Throughout her life, Merlene was especially concerned for those who struggled in poverty. She invested over 30 years of her life and her heart in service to families and children at the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services. As a young social worker, she had a special focus on the needs of the children she served. Merlene retired as Director of Mecklenburg County DSS. In that role she was known for her no-nonsense advocacy for children. Even in the late stages of Alzheimer's she still asked frequently about who was "taking care of the children and making sure they have what they need." The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to Merlene's extended family at Waltonwood. The excellent care provided by the memory care staff was a blessing to Merlene and to her family. With their loving support, Merlene and her family were able to find joy during the Alzheimer's journey. We will always cherish the kindness, care and love lavished on Merlene by our "sisters" at WW. The family will be privately celebrating Merlene's life and legacy at a later time. In honor of Merlene's lifelong concern for struggling families and children, the family requests that memorials be made to Baptist Children's Homes of NC or Loaves and Fishes.