Marlene Kay Haley

Marlene Kay Haley passed away unexpectedly on August 3, 2024 at the age of 79 and is now at peace in heaven with her Lord and Savior. She was an amazing high spirited, positive and courageous person like no other. She brought loving joy, smiles and hope to all she came in contact with. She ran a great race, crossed the finish line and is now in heaven with God, family and friends.

Kay was born in Victoria, Texas to Annie (Nanny) and Alvin Craft, where she spent the first four years of her childhood. Her loving sister Bertha Faye was also born in Victoria in 1947. In 1948 the family moved to Corpus Christi, Texas where Alvin worked at the Naval Air Station. While in Corpus, Kay’s youngest sister, Arleen, was born. In 1959 the family moved to Belton, Texas where Alvin worked at Ft. Hood. At Belton High School Kay was a cheerleader and was on the Tiger Belle tumbling team. With her beautiful smile, loving heart and joyful outlook, she easily made friends with whom she shared lifetime relationships.

After graduating from high school in 1963 Kay enrolled at Sam Houston State College (now SHSU) in Huntsville, Texas where she pursued and excelled in an Elementary Education curriculum. With her sparkling personality she again made many friends and pledged the Kappa Delta Sorority. While a ΚΔ she and her ΚΔ sisters made many contributions to the college community. In addition, the student body voted her to become a Cheerleader for the SHSC football team. Her spirited leadership excited fans to cheer for their beloved Bearkats. With her bright personality and compassion for her fellow students, Kay attracted many potential campus suitors. However, one afternoon while attending a Delta Tau Delta fraternity on-campus charity event one of the Delts participating in the event caught her attention. After a mutual friend introduced them, they started dating and eventually pledged their love for one another at a ΚΔ White Rose ceremony. One year later in 1965 Kay and Stan Haley became engaged to be married. After graduating from SHSC Kay became an elementary school teacher in Grapevine, Texas where her principal described her as a spark plug that ignited her students to excel in all phases of their lives. Two days after Stan graduated from North Texas University with a master’s degree in Business Administration they were married in Belton, Texas on August 26, 1967 and subsequently honeymooned in Mexico.

When Stan joined the Frito-Lay Company they moved to Dallas and a year later to Los Angeles, CA. Kay continued her teaching career in L.A. while pursuing and graduating with a master’s degree from Loyola University. Job transfers took them to Chicago, Omaha, New York and then to Columbus, OH where their daughter Jessica was born in 1977. Kay became a devoted mother, nurturing Jessica and providing her with participation opportunities in music, visual arts, dance, and athletics. In 1980 Stan accepted a senior Vice President of Human Resources position with United Energy Resources in Houston, Texas, and they moved to reside in nearby Sugar Land.

The allure of the classroom and teaching drew Kay back to the profession she truly loved. After working at several school districts, she joined Palmer Elementary school in Ft. Bend County ISD. Although she received many accolades and teaching awards, State Representative for ATPE, Palmer Elementary Teacher of the Year, finalist for Fort Bend Teacher of the Year, to name a few, Kay often said that while it was wonderful to receive the awards, her greatest professional accomplishment was helping her students to be all they could be. Parents frequently requested that their child be placed in Kay’s classroom.

Her church and faith activities were a very important part of her life. She was an active member of the Sugar Creek Baptist Church and a wonderful ladies bible study group. She also loved the theater arts, cooking, gardening, the Astros, and running before having bilateral knee replacements. She was a fierce competitor, having survived breast cancer twelve years ago.

Kay is preceded in death by her father, Alvin Craft and by her mother, Annie Craft who was a centenarian. She is survived by her husband Stan, daughter Jessica and partner Chris Clemence, her sister Bertha and husband Dennis Collins and their children and grandchildren, and by her sister Arleen and husband Bob Swagler.

Kay had lifelong friendships with her high school girlfriends, dubbed the Tiger Belle Queens (TBQs) and a strong bond with countless fellow teachers and friends. She had a positive impact on those with whom she came in contact and will be sorely missed but not forgotten. Rest in Peace.

A celebration of Kay’s life will be held on Monday, August 12 beginning with visitation at 10:30 a.m. and services at 11:30 a.m. at the Settegast-Kopf Funeral Home Sugar Creek located at 15015 Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land, TX. Details regarding a gravesite service in China Springs, Texas will follow at a later date. For updated information please refer to the Settegast-Kopf website at www.settegastkopf.com.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, Texas 77210-4486 or online at www.mdanderson.org/gifts or to the charity of your choice.

You are invited to attend a Committal Service on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the Wortham Bend Cemetery located at 566 Oak Grove Loop, China Spring, TX 76633.