Frances Gibson Marley, 77, daughter of the late William Nathan Gibson, Jr. and Amelia Vardell Maxwell Gibson, went to be with the Lord surrounded by her loving family on April 4, 2018. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and educator, Frances touched and transformed countless lives. Born in Red Springs, North Carolina, Frances was known as a caring southern lady who sought and cherished connections with others. She developed a love for music at a young age and began her college career as a Music Major at Flora Macdonald College in Red Springs. She graduated with Honors from Saint Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg with a Bachelor of Music Degree. Frances then began her teaching career in the Wake County Public School system that would span thirty-seven years in her position as Director of Choral Music at Millbrook High School in Raleigh. With an abiding commitment to the teaching profession and devotion to the Millbrook School Community, Frances spent her professional career nurturing young students as they discovered and developed their vocal talent and an appreciation of music.
She is remembered by her students with love and appreciation for her extraordinary skill as musician, teacher, counselor, and friend. As a testament to the influence this devoted teacher had on young lives in her classroom, many of her students chose to major in music education in college and are now in the classroom themselves bringing the gift of music to their students. Upon retiring from Millbrook High School in 1999 Frances shared, “There is no finer place that I could have taught, and I hope that I have instilled a love for music in my students and that they have learned how to express themselves in a more beautiful way.”
During summers over a span of fifteen years, and separate from her school responsibilities, Frances escorted high-school choral students from North Carolina and other states on nine concert tours in Europe as Director of the Greater Raleigh Youth Chorale. European audiences were captivated by the voices of these young Americans in performance venues ranging from majestic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to serene alpine churches nestled high in the Swiss Alps. Through these trips, Frances afforded young students an extraordinary opportunity to experience the excitement and educational benefits of international travel. Following retirement, she and her husband continued to travel abroad.
Frances and her husband are members of Hayes Barton United Methodist Church. She was past president of the Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh and member of many professional organizations, including North Carolina Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, and American Choral Directors Association. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and Caswell-Nash Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Frances continued her love of choral music performance as a member of the Cardinal Singers, a volunteer women’s chorus sponsored by the City of Raleigh, with a mission to lift spirits, evoke happy memories, and celebrate life through music. She was a steadfast advocate for the arts in the public school system and a loyal supporter of the North Carolina Symphony.
Frances greatly enjoyed the cottage she and her husband built at Holden Beach in 1972 and spent many relaxing weeks there during summer breaks. The beach cottage was always filled with music, laughter, and conversation. She had cherished memories of the good times spent there with her husband and two sons, grandchildren, friends, and extended family.
Frances is survived by her devoted and loving husband of 56 years, William Grady Marley, Jr.; her son, William Grady Marley, III, and wife, Amy King Marley of Raleigh, North Carolina, her son, Greer Stephens Marley, and wife, Rebecca Dawn Marley of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina; grandchildren, Savannah Stephens Marley, Jackson Greer Marley, Mary Carleton Marley, and Catherine Caldwell Marley; her sister, Rosalynde Gibson Cowdrey, and husband, David Arnold Cowdrey of Jacksonville, Florida; nephew, William Arnold Cowdrey of Jacksonville, Florida; and niece, Claire Cowdrey Ojeda, and husband, Orlando Ojeda of Riverdale, New York.
A visitation will be held on Monday, April 9, 2018 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh.
A celebration of Frances’s life will be held at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church on Tuesday, April 10th at 10:00 am. A graveside service will follow at 3:30 pm at Lumber Bridge Presbyterian Church in Lumber Bridge, North Carolina.
Memorial donations may be made to the Frances G. Marley Scholarship Fund. Please make checks payable to MHS Choral Boosters and send to Millbrook High School 2201 Spring Forest Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27615.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC.
