Jessie Marlyn Luck "Marlyn" passed away in Memphis, Tennessee at Methodist Hospital Germantown at the age of 78. She was born in the Hankins Community near Newport Arkansas and as a young girl moved to Memphis with her parents and sisters. She was most recently a resident at Sycamore Place Alzheimer's Special Care Center.
Marlyn was preceded in death by her parents, Clifton Sullins and Mildred Marks Sullins, her big brother Boyce Lee Sullins and her husband Gus Luck. She was also preceded in death by her grandparents, Jess and Rosa Sullins and Marley and Bertha Bright. (She was named after her two grandfathers, Jess and Marley.) She leaves behind two children Ricky Hartwell and Randy Hartwell (Sharon), five grandchildren, Amanda Bridger, Joey Hartwell, Todd Hartwell, Lani Hartwell, Madison Hartwell and six great grandchildren. She also leaves behind three sisters, Rosemary Taylor (Jim), Judy Akin (Benny), and Robyn Kinney (John), two nieces, Angela Morris, Ashley Pera and four nephews, Scott Taylor, Spencer Richie, Casey Cass and Chase Cass that all lovingly named her “Aunt Marnie”. Aunt Marnie loved and sometimes cared for her fifteen great nieces and great nephews. She had one great- great nephew.
Marlyn attended the Church of Christ until she was no longer able to be independent. She would often say "Let Go and Let God" and loved to sing old hymns. She amazingly remembered all of the words to the songs and loved the devotional times where she lived.
She was retired from National Mortgage Company and was a foreclosure specialist. She taught kindergarten at Knight Arnold Church of Christ (now Forest Hill Church of Christ) for 17 years along with her Mother, Mildred Sullins. During the summers and after her retirement, she kept children in her home. She loved children and never was quite satisfied unless she had one to care for and tend to. She enjoyed spoiling each and every one. She was an immaculate housekeeper, very organized, and when you walked into her house there was nothing out of place. She also was a great cook making chicken and dumplings for "special nephews" and always a special bowl of potato salad with no onions for her baby sister.
These last three years of our sister’s life have been very trying and very rewarding at times; however, each of her three sisters would do it all over again if we had to. Marlyn was always the care giver and always went the extra mile to make sure all of us had everything we needed and were well taken care of. She was a one of a kind very special person and our big sister. Our circle is broken but she left us much wiser and stronger because of her kind heart and strong will.
Her family would like to thank Vera Rayford for being such a special friend and help with our sister. They enjoyed singing hymns together during the devotional times where she lived. We need to also thank our cousins Barbara Gardner and Patsy DeShields for visiting her to help us with her care. Last but not least, we need to thank her brother in laws Jim Taylor, Benny Akin and John Kinney for helping us out so much with visiting her, helping us move her, sitting with her at the hospital, and making decisions about her care. She loved them dearly like three very wonderful brothers.
In lieu of flowers, our family would like for you to consider memorials be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
