Mary Dean Hickerson Marlin

Ms. Mary Dean Marlin, 93, of Linden, passed away Friday April 5, 2024 at her daughter's home after a short illness. She was born on January 3, 1931 in Perry County as the youngest child to the late Jadie and Oma Dabbs Hickerson. She was raised on Hurricane Creek and did not have many years of formal education, but was very educated in life lessons. A young man came to her home looking for a hunting dog, which ended up in courtship and marriage to her husband Averett Marlin. They were married March 18th, 1950 and were married for almost 50 years. They had three children; Edwin, Joyce and Darrel. She was a Homemaker and stay at home mother until they were all in school. She then went to work as a cook at Linden Elementary and Perry County High School which allowed her to be on her own children's school schedule. She later worked as a cook at the Perry County Nursing Home. Later, she would return home to care for her husband after his diagnosis of Alzheimers. She was also a talented seamstress and sewed for her family and for others in the community. She continued to do alterations and sewing until just recently when her health declined. 

Mary Dean believed there was always something that needed to be done. She rarely enjoyed free time. She instilled a good work ethic in her children, also. She was an immaculate housekeeper and enjoyed working in her yard and tending to her flowers. She knitted thousands of dishcloths when sitting down to rest, worked her seek-a-word books to keep her mind sharp, enjoyed watching tv and she would talk on the phone for hours at night to her friends these past few years. She was a strong lady and was very independent until the last two months.

Ms. Mary Dean was a member of the Linden Church of Christ for over 60 years, and was happy to see how the church has grown and all the young children that currently attend. It was obvious they loved her as well by all of the cards that she has received over the past few weeks. Her church family provided her meals and transportation to her radiation treatments with her first cancer journey in 2020, while her daughter was also facing health issues.

She was very proud of her daughter's family annual Christmas light display. She spent countless hours over the past 30 plus years checking lights, hanging and taking down lights and decorations, wrapping "too many" Christmas presents and helping Joyce with her Christmas baking. She continued this tradition until she was 90 years old.

She was a proud supporter of St. Jude Children's Hospital and had been a Partner in Hope since her great-grandson Warner was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2014. She sold many shirts and raffle tickets to support the family's Warner's Warrior Day Fundraiser for St. Jude and worked those events even in her eighties. She also made blankets for every patient room at Ronald McDonald House twice in honor of Warner.

She always enjoyed family functions, and was always asked to bring her delicious chocolate oatmeal cookies to any event. She was very proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed visits and phone calls from her nieces, nephews and friends. She left us some words to live by, "It will always pay off to be good, honest, and truthful in everything you do."

In addition to her parents she is also preceded in death by her husband Averett Marlin, a son Edwin Marlin and sisters Hettie Churchwell, Pauline Dunn, Olean Mercer, Lottie Mathis and Burnice Mercer, a brother Melvin Hickerson and a very special friend Murrel Turner.

Survivors include her daughter Joyce (Aaron) Wood of Darden, Tn., her son Darrel Marlin of Columbia, Tn., daughter-in-law Debbie Marlin of New Johnsonville, Tn., grandchildren Justin (Monica) Marlin, David Marlin, Matt (Brittany) Wood, Cody (Emily) Wood, Cayce (Derek) Duncan, Michael (Kathryn) Marlin, Annabeth (Nathan) Graham, step-granddaughter Nikki (Brian) Wood Beecham, great-grandchildren Bryce, Jayden and Avery Marlin, Warner, Everett, Lily and Sawyer Wood, Dean and Dexter Duncan, Maryn and Wylie Marlin, step-great-granddaughter Haven Trull, along with a host of nieces, nephews, and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Childern's Hospital in Memphis in honor of Warner Wood. 

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