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- The Mountain Messenger, Lewisburg, WV, 16 February 2008
Lewisburg-Marlene Jentry Walkup Anderson went home to be with The Lord at her home in Lewisburg on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008, at 10:56 a.m. after a 9-month-long battle with Ovarian Cancer. Her daughter Becky was at her side as she passed away, along with Marlene?s mother who remains in the home.
Marlene was born to Wyatt Lincoln and Verna May Bennett Walkup on Apr. 22, 1932, right around supper time, in Blue Sulphur Springs. She was the granddaughter of Marshall Washington and Ida Jane McClung Walkup and Grigsby Ernest and Laura Jane Suttle Bennett.
Marlene was preceded in death by: her father, Wyatt Lincoln Walkup; infant sister, Louise Jo Walkup; twin daughter, Betty Jo Alderson; her first husband, Richard Elmo "Dodey" Alderson; and her second husband, Melvin Lehew "Andy" Anderson.
She started attending Calvary Baptist Church in Lewisburg in 1968 and was a faithful member and willing worker in the church up until her illness. Marlene attended grade school in Alderson and graduated from Alderson High School in 1950. She was a member of the cheerleading squad. She was fondly known as "Peanut." Before graduating high school she worked as a Candy Striper at Greenbrier Valley Hospital in Ronceverte. She retired from the Federal Correctional Institution at Alderson as a correctional officer and was a member of the NARFE. After the death of her husband Andy Anderson in 1989, she continued to operate Anderson Well Drilling and Pump Service, the business which they established together in 1967. They provided water to many, many homes and farms in numerous counties in the state over the last 40 years.
She was a devoted and loving Christian, daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was a member of the Greenbrier Historical Society. She was also a member and supported the National Rifle Association. She enjoyed farming and raising cattle with her son Richie and working on genealogy with her daughter Becky. She enjoyed the caretaking of the family cemeteries. She was a wonderful storyteller and her stories will be greatly missed. She loved her high school class reunions and July 4th in Alderson and she loved Elvis Presley. She loved to travel and every time the wheels turned on a car she wanted to be in it going somewhere, anywhere, it didn?t matter where. She was an NFL and NASCAR fan and a fan of the West Virginia Mountaineers. She enjoyed people and loved to talk to them. She will be greatly missed by many.
Surviving to mourn her loss are: her beloved mother, Verna M. Bennett Walkup at 92 years of age and still living at home; her twin daughter and care-givers Rebecca Ann Alderson Ornold and husband Philip Richard Ornold of Lewisburg and their two sons, Richard Michael Ornold of Stuart, FL, and Thomas Jason Ornold of Lewisburg; her only son, Richard Wyatt "Richie" Alderson of Blue Sulphur Springs and his two children Jennifer Lynn Williams and her husband Jeffrey Todd Williams of Fort Springs and Brent Andrew Alderson of Blue Sulphur Springs; special great-grandson Bryce Michael Cyrus of Barboursville; Jeffrey Todd Williams, II of Asbury; great-granddaughters Alexis Mae Williams of Fort Springs and Mallory Nichole Alderson of White Sulphur Springs; aunt, Betty L. Bennett of Columbus OH, and uncle, Robert L. Bennett of Green Cove Springs, FL; cousins, Carolyn Bennett Humphreys and husband Willis of Alderson, Janet Bennett Tankersley of Cincinnati, OH, Ronnie Bennett and wife Ila of Clintonville, Dixie Wall and husband Charlie of Smoot; Clarice Turpin of Dayton, OH; Courtney Hutsenpiller Midkiff of St. Albans, Jerry Bennett and wife Donna of Jacksonville, FL, Stephen Bennett of Green Cove Springs, FL, Vikki James of Nahuanta, GA, Sherri Bennett of Chesapeake, OH, Becky Bennett of Jacksonville, FL; Tami, Audette and Sherman Bennett of San Francisco, CA, Helen Brackenrich and family of Kieffer, Hattie Amato of Rosedale, MD, Carol Walkup Reed and husband Gary of Alderson; Billy, Bobby and Jeff Walkup and their families of Alderson; her classmates from Alderson High School Class of 1950; and especially, Anna Anderson, Sharlet Holliday and Dorothy Lemons of Lewisburg; Jack and Maxine Skaggs of Cary, NC; Mary Lou Jones and family of Greensboro, NC; and many more cousins and friends.
At Marlene?s request there was no public visitation or funeral services and no flowers. She always said, "Come and see me while I?m alive, not when I?m dead. Bring me flowers while I?m alive, not when I?m dead."
There was a private family burial on Thursday, Jan. 31, at the Bennett Family Cemetery located on her family homeplace on Bennett Mountain in Blue Sulphur Springs, which has been in the family since 1825. Michael Ornold officiated at the service.
Pallbearers were: Richard Wyatt Alderson, Philip Richard Ornold, Richard Michael Ornold, Thomas Jason Ornold, Brent Andrew Alderson, and Jeffrey Todd Williams.
Lobban Funeral Home in Alderson was in charge of arrangements. A special "Thank You" goes to Sarah and Karen Lobban. A very special "Thank You" goes to the nurses and staff of Home Care Plus.
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1932 - 2008 (75 years)
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