Everett Leslie Marley Jr. was born in Kyle, South Dakota, on April 24, 1921, the only son of the late Everett and Ethel Marley Sr. He had two older sisters Arne Joy Clark and Ethel Mae Watson. He grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota where his father, an Adventist minister, devoted 32 years to serving as teacher, doctor, federal agent and friend to the Sioux Indians.
Marley attended Shelton Academy in Nebraska, Plainview Academy in South Dakota and Madison College in Tennessee, graduating valedictorian of his class with a degree in math and physics.
He married Anna Ruth Bryant on July 16, 1940. After God clearly closed the door on his plans to enroll at Vanderbilt University to pursue a career as a math professor, Marley accepted a job in Pensacola, Florida while waiting to be drafted into the military. But he never was drafted, so he accepted God’s calling to ministry and began pastoring in 1943. He and his family worked for many years throughout the Southern Union pastoring, church planting and administrating.
During the days of the Northern Union, he served as president of the Iowa Conference. Later he worked in the union office as secretary/treasurer and then as president. Marley was a wise and astute church administrator, always focused on the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
In 1980 he retired, but remained active in giving Bible studies, preaching and leading prayer meetings.
On May 6, 2006, after 66 years of marriage, his wife Ruth passed away. On March 7, 2010, he married Arline Bracebridge; they lived in South Carolina, enjoying family, friends and pets.
On November 28, 2013, at the age of 92 he went to sleep after complications from COPD. He is survived by his wife Arline Marley; children Barry Marley, Cheryl Retzer, Marcia Rappoport; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
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Reprinted with permission from Southern Tidings magazine.
