October 3, 1932 – November 16, 2022
Valdese, North Carolina
Freda K. Marley, 90, of Valdese peacefully passed away at AMOREM Caldwell
Hospice in Hudson on Wednesday, November 16, 2022. Freda was born in
Caldwell County to Jasper Allen Kirby and Rose Price Kirby. She graduated
from Oak Hill High School in Lenoir. She retired from the house keeping
department at Valdese General Hospital, which was her last and favorite job.
Freda was a member of Union Grove Baptist Church in Lenoir where she
faithfully attended until the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020. She greatly
missed her church family and friends. The inability to attend church or
participate in public or group events contributed to her decline. Freda was
very generous and known by many as the “candy lady”. She kept peppermint
or lemon candy in her pocketbook and enjoyed giving candy to the kids at
church on Sunday mornings, servers in the restaurants where she ate, the
staff in the doctors’ offices she visited, the lawn maintenance crew and the
Meals on Wheels Volunteers. She loved working word search puzzles, playing
with her cat, Garfield, mowing her grass and spending time outdoors when
she was able to do so.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband,
Charles Marley, her first husband, and father of her children, Wayne Teague;
sister, Faye Bradshaw, brothers, Bingham Kirby, Perry Kirby, Roy Kirby, her
twin brother, Fred Kirby, and infant granddaughter, Jennifer. Freda is
survived by two daughters, Vicky Sherrill (Lynn) of Granite Falls and Barbara
Johnson (Sandy) of Hickory. Also surviving are grandchildren Jason Sherrill
(Beth) of Gastonia, Amanda Benfield (Bryan) of Granite Falls, Justin Johnson
of Charlotte, Jerod Johnson (Daniela) of Holly Springs; Jenna Johnson Avila
(Drake) of Poway, CA, great grandchildren Allison, Jack, and Apple Sherrill;
and Kyle, Autumn and Maggie Johnson.
The family is especially appreciative of the care provided by Dr. Allison
Combs, Traci, and the staff of Blue Ridge Geriatrics; and the Burke and
Caldwell Hospice Staff at AMOREM.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 AM Saturday, December 3, 2022, at Union Grove Baptist Church of Lenoir, with Rev. Sam Craven officiating.
A private entombment was held at Burke Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to
AMOREM (Burke & Caldwell Hospice) 902 Kirkwood St NW Lenoir, NC 28645
Union Grove Baptist Church 1808 Union Grove Road Lenoir, NC 28645
Heritage Funeral Service and Crematory of Valdese is assisting the Marley Family.