FACE COVERINGS ARE STILL REQUIRED TO ENTER THE FUNERAL HOME!!

Funeral service will be 12:00 Noon on Friday, April 19, 2024, at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church.  Burial will follow in Pine Forest Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:30-8:00 P.M. on Thursday at the funeral home.

Memories of Marion.  Marion Elizabeth Henry Simon, was the sixth of 10 children born to Ransome and Mamie Henry, on June 10th1930. She attended Williston Primary School and went on to attend Williston High School, where she graduated in 1946. Her parents were pillars in the community, better known as "The Bottom" back then. It was from her parents that she developed her love for God and church. She was baptized at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Wilmington, N. C. at 12 years old and active with the Youth Ministry. As her younger brothers and sisters came along, Marion joined her older brother, Louis and sisters, Ann, Mamie ("Sister"), Harriet and Willie to see after the youngest of the "Ten" David, Kenneth, Carey and Joyce, (Gerry). Marion would help Carey and Gerry with their nightly baths and saying their prayers before bed. She even walked them to and from Williston Primary School every day., as this was a tremendous help to her mother, Mamie. Marion had inspirations on becoming be a nurse. However, back then she was too young to enroll in the Nursing School, so her sisters, Ann and Mamie had relocated and were working in New York City., so they took Marion there with them and found her a job. Later, Marion and Sol, a high school football player at Williston High School Back in the day, joined each other and were married, having two sons, Louis Allen and Paul. During the summers, Sol and Marion gave Carey and Gerry trips to New York!! This was soo exciting, comparing N.Y. to N.C. They took Carey and Gerry on their first ride on the Subway and the best part was, they got to sit WHEREVER THEY WANTED TO SIT, COMPARED TO Wilmington back in the 40's and 50's. during the times of segregation. They took us on Cruises up the Hudson River, "INTEGRATED MOVIES AND DINERS" took Carey and Gerry to their first Yankees and Dodger's Baseball game, where they first saw "Jackie Robinson hit homeruns, to the World Series, to the Harlem Theater and the first "World's Fair" and special trips to THE APOLLO THEATER. Marion was a part of the great migration of African- Americans from the South to the northern cities. Her first stop was New York and the neighborhood was Harlem. She stayed in the apartment right next-door to her oldest sister Mamie, who encouraged her to work as a federal or state employee. While in Harlem, Marion attended Abyssinian Baptist Church, pastored by Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Marion went on to become a school crossing guard and eventually moved to Queens, New York (Flushing). She later took a federal job as an Administrator Support Advisor with the Social Security Administration., where she retired from, after 25 long years of dedicated service. Her last residence in New York was Jamaica Queens, living on 144th Ave. This location allowed her to be near her circle of friends that she grew up with from Wilmington, NC. The last church she attended in New York was Salem Missionary Baptist Church, pastored by Revered Brunswick. Upon her retirement in 1992, Sol, Marion and son, Louis relocated to Rocky Mount., where her sister Gerry's children, Stephanie and Stevie Sutton had already resided and made it their home. They settled in to a beautiful home that they had built., only for it to be destroyed by Hurricane Floyd in 1999. She lost all of her earthly possessions, but she did not lose her faith in God and His ability to restore all that was lost. But God !!!! She joined Ebenezer Church in Rocky Mount on February 10, 2002., under the leadership of Rev. Thomas L. Walker. It was here that she would pour herself into various ministries and make her forever stamp on the Women's Fellowship Ministry, "Upper Prayer Room" and Annual Women's Prayer Retreat at Bricks. It was here that she became affectionatley know as "Mother Simon". That name would follow her all over Rocky Mount and surrounding areas. She resided at Hunter Hill Senior Living since 2016, where she was truly loved and respected by all of the residents and staff. As her health began to fail., she received her care at the facility, from Amedysis Hospice Care of Greenville, NC. Marion, fought a good fight., but God called her home for eternal rest, on Saturday, April 6. She was a phenomenal wife, mother, "grandmother", sister, aunt and friend, whom will all miss her tremendously. Marion's husband, Henry Solomon Simon preceded her in death in 1997 and her son, Paul in 2015. In addition to her parents, husband and son, Marion was also preceded in death by her brothers, David Oliver, Louis and Kenneth (Josephine) and her sisters, Ann (William), Mamie (Johnny), Harriet (James), Thelma and Willie (Homer). She leaves to celebrate her life and rejoice in her memories: Her son, Louis Allen Simon of Rocky Mount, NC, one granddaughter, Jessica Benson (Domenico) and great grandson, Mason Benson, both of Jamaica Queens, NY., two sisters, Carey Cummings (Joseph) of Jacksonville, FL and Joyce Sutton of Wilmington, NC; one special niece, Stephanie Sutton of Rocky Mount, NC, a few special friends Doris Nash, Doris McNeil, Evelyn Hinnant, Louise Moore, Virgina Sneed, Gwendolyn Barnes, Lorraine Pitts and Cheryl Archer, Eva Gainor (Boston) and host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.