Marie B. Broadhead Fuqua

FUQUA, MARIE - was born on April 18, 1939 near Maplesville, Alabama, a small town of about 500, in Chilton County. The love of her life, Ernest, first set eyes on her in 1952 in front of a movie theater in Selma, Alabama. Smitten at first sight, Ernest immediately pledged that someday she would be his wife. On May 31, 2012, at 73, after 59 years of glorious marriage, five loving children (Howard, Janice, Polly, Paul and Jennifer), five deeply beloved grandchildren (Persia, Caleb, Ty, Reece and MacKenzie), and one great granddaughter (Peria), she has returned to her Lord and Savior. Her life’s journey of growth and development was full and rich with love and curiosity. A self-taught painter and musician, she played piano at her early churches in her 20s and later sang in the choir. Her paintings were showed to and bought by the public. Her love of tennis coupled with her intense work ethic earned her and her partner an amateur tennis player national doubles championship, just five years after she fist picked up a tennis racket. She was constantly engaged in self development and always strove to master anything she started. A great listener and observer of others, she seemed to always learn first what others needed. As a breast cancer survivor of 21 years, she often reached out to those similarly afflicted with love and understanding, comforting them with hand sown pillows after their surgery, visiting them in hospitals and nursing homes. She seemed to never tire of helping others. She spent her 20s, 30s and 40s in Mobile, Alabama and Knoxville, Tennessee before circling back to Knoxville in her early 50s after short periods in Mississippi and Georgia, while supporting her husband, a railroad man, in his career advancement and travels. Her undying love and devotion to her husband, children and grandchildren was inspirational. The life-important lessons she leaves them were taught through her examples and her actions, not through her words. She will always be loved and never forgotten. Her family will receive friends at Lynnhurst Greenwood Chapel at 2300 West Adair Drive in Fountain City between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 4. Family and friends will meet at Greenwood Cemetery, 3500 Tazewell Pike, after the Funeral Service for a brief graveside service. Friends may leave their condolences at www.lynnhurstchapel.com.