Marguerite Yarbrough McCanless

1925 - 2018

Marguerite was born in Greenville, South Carolina 93 years ago. She was the only child of Ethel Geneva Pinson Yarbrough and Jack Henderson Yarbrough. Her early years were spent in South Carolina, Florida and Georgia. Upon the death of her father she and her mother returned to Greenville, S.C. and lived on the family farm with her grandfather, Seaborn Columbus Pinson. She was a graduate of Greenville High School and attended Greenville Women's Business College of Furman University. Upon her mother's remarriage to Ivan LeBaron Manzer, she relocated with them to Vermont where she lived and worked for several years. Following the end of WWII, Marguerite returned to Georgetown, South Carolina where she met and married her lifelong partner, William Jackson McCanless at Prince Winyah Episcopal Church. They were married for 62 years. Their two children Kathleen Susan and William Brian were born and christened there. The family left Georgetown in 1956. Both Marguerite and her husband Bill worked for International Paper Company. They transferred frequently and lived in Fairhope, AL, Mobile, AL and then in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, returning to Mobile in the early 60's where they were finally able to build a long awaited family home. While in Mobile, Marguerite was an active supporter of and participant in the Pixie Playhouse Children's Theatre, The Art Patrons League of Mobile and a regular participant in the FAMOS Outdoor arts and crafts show in Municipal Park. She was also an artist in her own right, painting many pictures in both oils and watercolors...She was also active in the Trinity Episcopal Young Churchmen's Group in the 60's. In the mid 1970's Marguerite and Bill were transferred again to the New York Office of I.P. They moved to Connecticut for seven years. Upon reaching retirement, they promptly returned to Mobile, and became members of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Marguerite was an active member of the St. Luke's Prayer and Care group and a regular attendee at church. She will be greatly missed by her St. Luke's family and friends. She is survived by her son, William Brian McCanless, her daughter and son-in-law Kathleen McCanless Flood and Samuel Flood and their family, and her two beloved grandchildren Leslie Joy and William Brian McCanless II. The family requests donations to St. Luke's Episcopal Church in lieu of flowers. "Mom you have been a steady and loving rock in the midst of many rough seas. You sought always to make a home your children and others could come to in times of joy as well as times of upheaval and loss. May God's grace and peace be with you and may you rest joyfully in the knowledge that all of your charges are safe in his care. We love you."
Visitation will be held on Friday, August 3, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 1050 Azalea Road, Mobile, Al. 36693, Funeral services will be held at the church at 11:00 a.m. interment will follow in Fairhope Memorial Gardens, Fairhope, Al.
Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com.