Stella Mae Atkins Marion

Mrs. Stella Mae Atkins Marion, 87, of 1248 Old Highway 601, Mount Airy, passed away Thursday morning, October 8, 2009, at her home. Mrs. Marion was born January 3, 1922, in Surry County, daughter of the late Paul and Sadie Dollyhigh Atkins. Stella retired from Spencer's Inc. after many years of service and later worked at The Mount Airy News until she was 80 years of age. She was a member of Piney Grove Baptist Church. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Norma and Fred Miller of Dobson; a son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Diane Marion of Dobson; five grandchildren and their spouses, Chad and Jeana Lewis of Ararat, Sharon and Randy Bledsoe, Jaime and Myra Lewis, and Will Marion, all of Dobson, and Emily and Michael Reeves of Pilot Mountain; two step-grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, Bradley Lewis, Brittany Lewis, and Brooke Lewis, all of Ararat, and Katie Bledsoe, Kendal Bledsoe, Adam Lewis, and Austin Lewis, all of Dobson; three step-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Pansy Allen and Faye Edwards, both of Mount Airy; two brothers, Harvey Atkins of Mount Airy and Chester Atkins of Pilot Mountain; a sister-in-law, Estelle Atkins of King; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Marion was preceded in death by her husband, Grady William Marion; a brother, Melvin Monroe Atkins; and a son-in-law, Joseph Lynwood Poore. The funeral service will be held Saturday, October 10, 2009, at 11:00 AM at Piney Grove Baptist Church, with the Rev. Mark A. Reece, Jr. and the Rev. Carlton S. McDaniel, Sr. officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home in Mount Airy, where her body will remain until carried to the church to lie-in-state 30 minutes prior to the funeral service. Flowers will be accepted, or memorial contributions can be made to Piney Grove Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1022, Mount Airy, NC 27030; or to Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, 401 Technology Lane, Suite 200, Mount Airy, NC 27030. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, especially Tina Leonard, Judy Burton, Amy Wilhelm, Kristie Byrd, and Susan McCormick, for the love, care, and kindness shown to Stella during her illness.