Marion Allen Alderman died quietly at her home in Hillsville VA on June 2, 2017.

Marion was born May 18, 1934 in Sheffield, AL to Owen Tillman Allen and Viola McDonald Allen. Marion graduated from Emory and Henry College with a triple major in English, psychology, and religion in 1956, then spent most of her career as a schoolteacher in Carroll County VA. For a number of years she worked as the Hillsville Elementary School librarian. She was an avid reader, collector of books and worked tirelessly to promote youth reading programs.

Marion met her late husband, John Perry Alderman at Emory & Henry. Following their August 4 1956 wedding, Marion and John Perry lived in Hillsville and raised two children, John Owen Alderman and Nancy Greene Alderman McDaniel. John Perry and Marion moved to Roanoke in 1982, following John Perry's appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. They returned to Carroll County in 1990.

Active in her community, Marion served as a member of the Wytheville Community College Board. At the time of her passing, she was vice president of the Wytheville Community College Educational Foundation. She previously served as chair of-the Docent Guild at the Roanoke Museum of Fine Art, citizen member of Virginia State Board of Nursing, and treasurer and board member of the Golden Harvest Thrift Store. She was a member of the Hillsville Presbyterian Church and volunteered in many other community activities, including the Republican Women, Presbyterian Women,  Girl Scouts and the Presbyterian Children's Home.  She was well known for her kind and generous help to those who needed a helping hand.

Marion is survived by John Owen and Mary Alderman of Minneapolis, MN and their daughters Hannah and Vivian; Nancy Greene and Russ McDaniel of Atlanta GA and their sons, Conan and Eli; and her cat, Tommy. Other beloved include her brother Owen Allen and his children Doug and Tracy, and her sister Sally Crockett and her daughters, Suzanne and Kathleen. As a long-time member of the Hillsville Presbyterian Church, she considered the members of the congregation as family.

Although Marion loved flowers, she would most have appreciated your donations to the organizations she held so dear: the Presbyterian Children's Home of the Highlands, the 24foundation.org, and the Hillsville Presbyterian Church.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 1, 2017 at 12:00 PM at Hillsville Presbyterian Church with Pastor Kevin Campbell officiating. Inurnment will be in the Wilkinson Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Saturday, July 1, 2017 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Hillsville Presbyterian Church. Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel is serving the Alderman family.