Mary L. Marley Smith

01/04/1936 - 08/20/2021

Obituary For Mary L. Marley Smith

Funeral services will be Saturday, September 4, 2021 at 11:00 a.m., Autumn Woods Cemetery, 4000 W. Northside Drive, Jackson, MS 39209.

Mary Smith Marley departed this life on August 20, 2021, at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi. She was born January 4, 1936 to Winfield Rodgers and Eva Thompson Rodgers. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Winfield and Eva, two sons, Ronnie Smith and Glen Smith, and her only sister, Alberta Clark.

At an early age, she confessed Christ and was baptized at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Amos G. Johnson. Later in life, she became a baptized follower of Christ as a member of the Jehovah Witnesses Clinton congregation of Jackson, Mississippi. Mary was a faithful and dedicated member until her health started failing her.

Mary received her early education at Sumner Hill School in Clinton, Mississippi and Utica Institute in Utica, Mississippi. Later, she decided to attend the Adult Education Community Center, Jackson School District, where she received her high school diploma. Mary’s work history includes factory, restaurant, nurse assistant, and lastly, an assistant in the Clinton Public Schools.

In 1953, she joined in holy matrimony to Younger Smith, Jr. To this union, they were blessed with six children: Glen, Sharon, Ronnie, Barry, Rena, and Eugenia. Years after Younger’s passing, Mary was joined in holy matrimony to Sam Marley on December 30, 1966. To this union, they were blessed with two daughters Alisa and LaTonya.

She leaves to cherish her memories; five daughters, Sharon Rayford of Muskegon, Michigan, Alisa Marley, LaTonya Marley, Eugenia (Keith) Ferguson, and Renea Smith, all of Jackson, Mississippi; one son, Barry (Minnie) Smith of Jackson, Mississippi; five sisters-in-law, Ruby, Lilley, Carmen, Rhonda Jean, and La’Veria; six brothers-in-law, Bo, Williams A. Dwight, John, Michael, and Jerry. She also leaves twenty grandchildren, thirty-five great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.