Marian Sykes Alexander

Marian Sykes Alexander of Greenville, Mississippi passed away peacefully on August 5, 2025 at the age of 87. Born Marian Gordon Sykes on August 13, 1937 to Frances Gordon Shelton and Conwell Shoup Sykes at King's Daughters Hospital in Greenville, Marian lived in Clarksdale until her family moved to Greenville in 1946. She attended Greenville Public Schools where she was the editor of the school newspaper, the Pica, during her junior and senior years. This was also where she met her husband, Robert Heard Alexander, Sr. (Bobby), when they were in fourth grade. Marian and Bobby wed on December 27, 1959 and enjoyed 43 wonderful years together before he passed away in 2003.
Marian attended Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia for two years before transferring to the University of Mississippi, where she was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity and graduated with a B.A. in English.
Marian continued her education at Delta State University from 1971 to 1974, where she earned her Master of Library Science degree and her teaching license. She then worked at Washington School for nine years, where she established the school's first elementary library.
Several years later, while working as a paralegal at a Greenville law firm, Marian decided to add yet another accomplishment to her list, graduating summa cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1988 at age 50. At Ole Miss, she was a member of the William C. Keady American Inn of Court and Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity.
Upon graduating, she practiced law as a partner at Lake Tindall, LLP for eighteen years, retiring in 2006. During her tenure as an attorney, she wrote a monthly column on estate planning for Life in the Delta magazine, was a member of the Washington County and Mississippi Bar Associations, and was invited to become a member of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.
During her many years living in Greenville, Marian was a member of Junior Auxiliary, Greenville Garden Club, and Rotary Club. She was also a board member of the Bologna Performing Arts Center and the Mississippi chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. One of her proudest achievements was serving as the president of the Greenville Garden Club for two years, during which time she was instrumental in preparing the club's transfer of an environmental easement to establish the Cypress Preserve Trust.
Marian was a devoted member of St. James Episcopal Church, serving as a lay eucharistic minister, publicity chairman for the annual Harvest Bazaar committee, and serving two terms on the Vestry.
In 2014, Marian moved from Greenville to Charlottesville, Virginia, to be close to her sister and brother-in-law, Lanier and Eugene Bogen. In her Glenmore community, she wrote numerous articles for the monthly Glenmore Life publication, served two terms as president of the Glenmore Woman's Club, and continued her love for learning by taking classes on Shakespeare and attending numerous lectures. During her five years in Virginia, she captivated her new friends with her beauty, charm, and spunk, modeling in fashion shows, riding around in her convertible, and entertaining her lady friends, most notably with her annual Valentine's chocolate and champagne parties.
Marian returned to Mississippi in 2019, moving to St. Catherine's Village in Madison, where she wrote articles for the monthly newsletter.
One of Marian's greatest joys in life was writing. In addition to her aforementioned publications, she also authored articles in The Delta Magazine and AAA Southern Traveler. Most notably, though, she enjoyed researching and writing descriptions of the Delta wildflowers Bobby captured in his beautiful close-up photography.
Marian found much delight in exploring the world around her with her family and friends. She attended the inauguration of William Jefferson Clinton in 1993 and kept extensive memoirs of this event and all her travels. In her later years, she particularly enjoyed taking her grandchildren on trips and sharing her joy with them.
Marian is predeceased by her parents, husband, brothers-in-law George Edward Alexander, Jr., and Kenneth Conwill Alexander, and sisters-in-law Virginia Ford Alexander and Fay Prince Alexander. She is survived by her two children, Robert Heard Alexander, Jr. and wife Michelle of Oxford, and Frances Lanier Sykes Alexander Quantz and husband Newton of Atlanta; four grandchildren, Claire Sykes Alexander Fowler (Andrew), Millie Rives Alexander Eaves (Christian), Newton Gaston Quantz IV, and Shelton Sykes Quantz; her sister Lanier Sykes Bogen; her brother-in-law Eugene Michael Bogen; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at St. James Episcopal Church in Greenville on Saturday, August 16, with visitation at 10:00 and the service at 11:00, followed by burial. Marian will be buried in Greenville Cemetery alongside her husband, Bobby. Arrangements are under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Greenville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. James Episcopal Church (1026 South Washington Ave., Greenville, MS 38701) or to Breakthrough T1D [FKA Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation] (breakthrought1d.org/ways-to-give or PO Box 5021, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5021).
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