Marie Asbury Rolen

Born in Nave Hill on August 7, 1947, Marie grew up in Union County, Tennessee. At the age of 18, she moved to Knoxville to work at Standard Knitting Mills and attend Draughon Business College. After graduating she went to work for a local oil company, where she met a young man working on his uncle’s heating oil truck. She agreed to a date, after which she swore it would be the last, but when he surprised her at work with the Otis Redding album she had mentioned she would like to have, she caved. They were married on April 10, 1970.

Marie was a force of nature, fearless when it came to tackling projects, with an arsenal of power tools that would make a Teamster blush. As the matriarch of our family, Marie took great joy in gathering everyone together, especially at holidays. Major holidays for Marie included Flag Day, Columbus Day and Groundhog Day, as long as it was an opportunity to have her family around her. Her family was her priority always, and the greatest love of her life was her granddaughter Reese, who was her favorite topic of conversation and her favorite person. Marie literally radiated love for her granddaughter.

Marie is preceded in death by her husband of 55 years Ronald, who passed on February 11, 2025, parents Larma and Viola Asbury, brothers Bobby and Chuck Asbury, and sister Betty. She is survived by her daughter and best friend, Tina Rolen and son-in-law Bill Pittman, her son Ron Rolen and daughter-in-law Ginger, granddaughter Reese, and other best friend and sister Rose Asbury Meredith and brother-in-law Roger Meredith. She is also survived by Janice Davis, Joy Heavilon, Caroline Strevel, Mike Owen, Jenni Brasfield, and all of her NHC Ft. Sanders family, who cared for Marie with so much love and dignity for the past 8 years. We were honored and blessed to be a “Fort Family”.

A receiving of friends will be held on Saturday, April 5th, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Berry Highland Memorial, 5315 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919. Private interment will take place at Highland Memorial Cemetery on Monday, April 7th at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Sertoma Center, who is dedicated to helping individuals with intellectual disabilities. To learn more about their mission and make a donation visit sertoma.com.