Marion Wall Whatley

COLUMBIA - Marion Wall Whatley, 103, died December 22, 2010. She was the daughter of Arthur Lamar Wall and Gertrude Dye Wall and grew up in North Augusta, SC. She married John C. Whatley Jr., who predeceased her 17 years ago, and they had one son, Dr. John C. Whatley III of Columbia.

In earlier years, Marion was a schoolteacher; but upon the birth of her son, she devoted her life exclusively to being a good wife and mother. That decision was typical of her longlife habit of placing persons before material things and qualitative relationships before money.

Marion and her husband were extremely active members of Kilbourne Park Baptist Church and were deeply involved in the church's overall ministry. During her 65-year tenure as a lay person at Kilbourne Park, Marion worked in numerous capacities, including serving as an adult Sunday School teacher, a teacher of children in Vacation Church School, a member of several committees and as the church's first hostess. In the latter capacity, despite many hours of hands-on work, planning, preparing and serving meals for up to a hundred or so individuals, she refused offers of payment for her services. On her own, she also prepared and delivered meals to elderly, sick, and shut-in persons in her church and in the community-at-large.

Marion was active in a number of civic and community service organizations and was 'mother' to numerous individuals who no longer had living birth mothers. In an effort to continue being of value to others, she mustered the energy, even at age 100, to prepare her coveted European candy recipe to give to various individuals and groups. But throughout life, she considered her job as a wife, mother and friend, meditative love to others, as a priority above all other priorities.

A memorial gathering to celebrate Marion's life and the love she so freely shared with others will be held at her beloved Kilbourne Park Baptist Church on Sunday, January 2, at 3:00 p.m. The family requests that there be no flowers. Memorials, however, may be given to the church of which her son is pastor, The Community Church of the Midlands (P.O. Box 6946, Columbia, SC 29260) or to Kilbourne Park Baptist Church (4205 Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29206) Unlike flowers, memorials can contribute to the loving ministry to persons for which Marion, for so many years, was an important part.

Barr-Price Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel, is assisting the family. www.Barr-Price.com (803)356-4411