Marian Anderson Starling Wilson

Marian Anderson Starling Wilson was born on November 30, 1945 in Benton, Mississippi to the late Bertha Starling and John Wesley Starling, Sr. She was the youngest of seven children born to this union. She accepted Christ at an early age and joined Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church. She attended the Public Schools of Yazoo County and received a Bachelor’s Degree from Alcorn State where she also also became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. While teaching in Crystal Springs, Mississippi she met and fell in love with Ellis Wilson and the two of them were united in holy matrimony on July 28, 1968. Together they had one daughter. She continued her education by receiving a Master’s Degree from Georgia State and a Specialist in Administration from Clark Atlanta. She was an educator for over 30 years and in that time touched the lives of many children and their families. She recognized the importance of a good education for children everywhere and as a board member of CHEER, Inc, a corporation founded by the Starling family; she was an important part of providing millions of books to children in the US and abroad. In keeping with her spirit of giving she worked tirelessly to put into operation the Lithonia First United Methodist Church Food Pantry to make sure that the people of Lithonia would not go hungry. She was warm and gentle to all who knew her and has been a beacon of light and faith to family and friends with her courage and strength through her 14 year struggle with breast cancer. She lost the battle with cancer on January 11, 2019 when she embarked on her journey home to be embraced in God’s loving arms. She leaves to mourn her passing, cherish her memory and continue her legacy of goodness: her husband, Ellis Wilson, her daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Anthony Sylvester, her grandchildren, Amanda, Andrew, Theodore and Tyler, her sisters and brothers, Dr. Barbara S. Ricks, Dr. Alva S. Cobb, David J. Starling, and John W. Starling, Jr., mother- and father-in law, Alice and Woodrow Wilson, Sr., sisters- and brother-in-law, Lela Starling, Lula Starling, Yvonne Starling, Woodrow and Jewel Wilson, Willie and Georgia Wilson, Mary Young, Lorene Dunn, Albert and Evelyn Wilson, Theotis and Phyllis Wilson, Sylvester Wilson, Rosia and Wesley Taylor; and a host of nieces, nephews and other loving relatives and good friends. Please express your condolences here on our website. Services entrusted to Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home, South Dekalb Chapel. 4347 Flat Shoals Pkwy, Decatur GA 30034. 404-241-5656.

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Marian Anderson Starling Wilson

November 30, 1945 - January 11, 2019