Marion Martin

Marion Elizabeth Martin was born, on February 15, 1952, in Hamlet, North Carolina.  She was the daughter of the late James Major Martin, Jr. and Rosa Lee Kelly Martin.

Marion departed this life on Saturday, December 12, 2020, at Montclair Care Center, in Montclair, New Jersey, following a number of complex conditions.

Marion grew up, in Elizabeth, NJ.  She was the oldest of four children.  Bashful, quiet, and introverted, she enjoyed her family, sports, baking, music, reading, many T.V. program genres, crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and board and card games.  She was an avid New York Mets' fan and New York Giants' fan, and loved sharing her enthusiasm with her nieces and nephews.  She also delighted in music, mainly Motown, but also many different genres of music.  She derived great pleasure playing board games, especially word games, and cards.  She had a flair for baking, specifically, during the holidays.

Marion was educated in the Elizabeth Public School System, graduating, in 1970.  Seemingly withdrawn, nonetheless she excelled in all courses, in all grades, at all levels; always scoring extremely high on all standardized testing.  She was exceptionally intelligent- a genius by some standards.  Always a forward thinker, she attended and took courses at a computer school, in 1970, following high school.  For most of her life, she was blessed with an incredible memory, remarkable recall, and a brilliant mind for word use, and definition, numbers, probabilities. Appropriately, earning her the nickname, "The Encyclopedia".

Marion frequently worked, at a boutique, on Broad Street, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and finally, worked full-time, for many years, at Burlington Coat Factory, at the Jersey Gardens Mall.

Marion's greatest contributions were to her siblings, sisters, Evelyn and Tina, and brother, Rahjun.  She remained with their parents, being an exceptional caretaker until both departed this life.  While caring for their parents, she also assisted in the care and nurturing of seven of her nieces and nephews, Ayanna, Nia, Jamilah, Khadijah, Charles (Trey) III, Jabir, and Tonja.  For many years, Marion acted as the "Nanny" for her sister, Evelyn, and her late brother-in-law, Charles "Chuck", Green, Jr.  She was also all of their children's Godmother.

While Marion was raised in New Jersey, summers were spent with extended family, in North Carolina.   Therefore, she was able to bond and form lasting relationships with relatives, notably, her many first cousins, in both states.

In addition to her cherished parents, Rosa L. Kelly and James M. Martin, Jr., she was preceded in death by younger brother Rahjun A. Muhammad; a great nephew, DaQuan Steadman; also, her brother-in-law, Charles L. "Chuck" Green, Jr., whom she came to view as a brother.

Marion leaves to cherish her memories, two loving, younger sisters, Evelyn Martin Green, Willingboro, New Jersey and Tina (Abdul) Martin, Hillside, New Jersey; beloved nieces, Ayanna, Nia, and Tonja Green, Jamilah and Khadijah Martin; Ayesha Steadman; Kabirah and Ina Muhammad; adored nephews, Charles L. "Trey", Green, III; and Jabir Robinson; much-loved uncle Joseph (Alice) Kelly, Jr., Plainfield, NJ, five great nieces, six great nephews, one great-great nephew, many cousins, and friends of the family.