Marie Eagle

Marie Eagle, age 94 of Salisbury, joined her heavenly Father and loved ones gone before her on Saturday May 9, 2026. Born October 24, 1931, in Yadkin County Marie was the daughter of Floyd Williams Martin and his wife Ethel Audry Wooten.

Marie graduated from Courtney High School and the Rowan Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. While studying to be an RN, she met and secretly married Billy West Eagle, as nursing students were not allowed to marry. Marie and Billy settled in Asheville before returning to Salisbury where she worked at Rowan Memorial and earned the respect and love of her colleagues and patients, often requested for private duty care for doctors’ family members. Marie was a living testament to her nursing skills as witnessed by family in caring for Billy who passed in 2012 from Parkinson’s Disease, providing love, kindness, and gentleness.

Marie was raised poor on the family farm after losing her mother at the age of 5. Having worked in the fields, she knew the value of hard and honest work. Neighbors helped neighbors. She spoke often of walking alone in the woods and not being afraid. She enjoyed trips to the mountains in Spring to see creation “come alive” and in the Fall to see the “color” as she called it.

Marie was an excellent cook, and many have enjoyed her preparations over the years. At family reunions, it was a given that she would bring home-grown butter beans and stewed sweet corn along with persimmon pudding. All who knew Marie can bear witness to her green thumb by the yard full of flowers and the garden overflowing with vegetables. It was an inside joke that she had a degree in horticulture from Courtney High School.

Marie was an active member of Coburn Memorial United Methodist Church and served faithfully until its closing in 2025 and became a member of Central United Methodist Church after the merging of the two churches. God blessed her with many gifts…faith, servitude, kindness, joy, generosity, thankfulness, wisdom, love, hope, and strength. Upon the diagnosis of breast cancer in 2018 and given treatment options, Marie chose a single mastectomy and proclaimed, “I will take whatever God gives me.” God blessed her with complete healing and lived pain free until her dying day. Praise God!

Family she leaves to carry on her teachings through word and deed are daughter Melba and sons David and Mark; granddaughter Lori and fiancé Jason and her children Keaton, Kaleigh (daughter Avilia) and Serenity; grandson SFC Brian and wife LeJane and their children Garrison and Carolina; grandson Noah and wife Lora and son Chason; sister-in-law Mona Eagle and a host of nieces and nephews and their children; special families of Keo and Khaythong Homsombath and special neighbor Joyce Trexler.

Marie’s wish was to have no service but agreed at a later date to a gathering of family and close friends with covered dishes and remembrances of her and loved ones gone before us. Remember her now in your visits with God and his flowers and critters and your walks with nature. Find peace and joy in Marie’s passing. As she often said, “One day at a time sweet Jesus.” Thanks be to God for a life well lived.

Lyerly Funeral Home serves the Eagle family. Online condolences may be made at www.lyerlyfuneralhome.com.

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