Funeral services for Mary Imogene “Gene” Marshall, 96, of Portales, will be held at 2:30 PM, Fri., Mar. 5, 2021 at Third and Kilgore Church of Christ with her son, Guy Marshall officiating, assisted by Johnny Lieb. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with her grandsons serving as pallbearers. Bill Barnett, Dudley Cash along and Dr. Parveen Chava with the members of the Bethel Homemaker’s Club and the staff of Heartland Continuing Care Center will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Mary Imogene Marshall, known to family and friends alike as Gene, was one of a set of twin girls born Nov. 15, 1924 in Hood County, TX to the home of Mary Lou (Baccus) and John Henry Wilhoit, and died early on Sunday morning, Feb. 28, 2021 in Portales. The Wilhoit family moved to New Mexico, and settled in the Causey community when Gene was just a young girl. On Aug. 23, 1942 in Portales, she was married to Warren E. Marshall. Mrs. Marshall was at home to rear her children until after they were all in school. When her oldest son became involved with 4-H, she became a 4-H leader and continued her involvement until after her youngest was out of high school. For many years she drove a school bus for the Portales Schools. Later, she began working at College Cleaners, where she would operate the cleaning machines, mend clothing and do pressing. She would finish delivering the school children, work at the cleaners until time to drive the bus again, and run the afternoon bus route.
She was a faithful member of the Church of Christ. For many years, she taught Bible classes for Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Gene was a member of the Third and Kilgore Church of Christ at the time of her death. Her other main involvement was with the Homemaker’s Club. She first belonged to the Mesa Cowbells Club, and later the Central Club, and finally the Bethel Homemaker’s Club. Through the years, Gene held countless offices at both the club level as well in the state.
She is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Ernest “Ernie” and Carolyn Marshall of Portales, Guy and Debbie Marshall of Elkhart Lake, WI and John and Brenda Marshall of Fort Cobb, OK; two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and Gordon Faircloth of Clovis, and Lillian and Daniel Morris of Round Rock, TX; 17 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; two brothers, Lynn and Glenn Wilhoit both of Portales; and four sisters, Frances Alexander of Roswell, NM, Joyce George of Abilene, TX, Blanche Hudson of Portales and Jo Gibbs of Lone Oak, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, E. B., Lowell, Ray and Bill Wilhoit, four sisters, Rosalee, Bobbie and Lawanda Wilhoit and her twin sister, Maxene Pierce, three grandchildren, Jennifer and Brent Marshall and Jeanette Morris, and by her beloved husband, Warren Marshall who died Feb. 3, 1991.
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