Marjorie Motley

Marjorie Denman Westerfield Motley, 91, died August 6, 2016, at Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center in Danville, VA, where she received wonderful care for the past two years. Prior to her time at Riverside, she was a resident of Providence, NC. Marjorie was born February 5, 1925, in Brooklyn, NY, the daughter of the late Rev. Walter Henry Westerfield and Alice Shepherd Denman Westerfield. She lived in Bergenfield, NJ, during her youth. After graduating from Tenefly High School, she headed south to attend Averett College where she received her Associate’s Degree and graduated as salutatorian in 1944. While at Averett, she met her husband, Mercer Clyde Motley, Jr., who survives her. They were married December 28, 1947, after he returned from service in the Air Force during World War II. Marjorie worked at the Radford Arsenal while Mercer attended Virginia Tech. While raising two daughters, she worked as a bookkeeper at Motley Florist in Danville, VA. Marjorie and Mercer owned Motley Florist for almost 50 years. Marjorie was always active in churches. She sang in the choir, played handbells, taught Sunday School, served as a youth group advisor, and enjoyed trips with the ECHO group at West Main Baptist Church where she was a member. She will be remembered for her giving spirit and loving heart. In addition to her husband, Marjorie is survived by her sister, Merle Westerfield, of Philadelphia, PA; daughter, Marjorie Lynne Booker and husband, William J. Booker, Jr., of Danville, VA; two granddaughters, Christy Hoffman and husband, Eduardo Rojas, of Buffalo, NY, and Tiffany Alnefelt and husband, Patrik, of Stockholm, Sweden.  Her two great-granddaughters—Caroline Rojas and Zoë Alnefelt—added much joy to her life in recent years. Marjorie was predeceased by her parents as well as a daughter, Martha Leigh Motley Norton, and a granddaughter, Emily Alice Norton.  She remained close to Leigh’s husband, Keith Norton, and family. The family will receive friends starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 9, at West Main Baptist Church, and the funeral will follow immediately thereafter at 2 p.m. Rev. Bruce Wilson and Rev. Paul Johnson will be conducting the service. Interment at Mountain View Cemetery will follow.  Townes Funeral Home and Crematory, 215 West Main is serving the Motley family.