VERNON RAY MARKLE, SR.

VERNON RAY MARKLE, SR., a resident of Highway 59 north of Somerville and United States Marine Corps Career Veteran died Saturday morning, December 5, 2009 at his residence. He was 70 years of age and died following a brief illness.

Funeral services with full Military Honors for Mr. Markle were conducted at 11 A.M. Tuesday, December 8th at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland with Rev. Rickey Burns, Pastor of the Williston Baptist Church, officiating. Interment followed in the Fayette County Memorial Park Cemetery on Highway 64. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes-West Chapel of Oakland.

A native of Fayette County, Mr. Markle was born December 28, 1938 the son of the late Claude Markle and the late Gaither Kee Markle.

He received his education in the Fayette County Public School System.

A recipient of two Purple Heart Awards, Mr. Markle served his country in the United States Marine Corps for twenty years before retiring as a Staff Sergeant.

He was then employed as a Security Officer for the Wilder Youth Development Center in Somerville for over 17 years before his retirement in 1994.

Mr. Markle was of the Baptist faith and enjoyed fishing in earlier years. He will be remembered as a patriotic person who enjoyed buying, selling and bartering in area flea markets and with antique dealers. Cooking and preparing food for his family was a favorite pastime.

Except for the period he served his country, Mr. Markle was a lifelong resident of the Somerville area.

Survivors of Mr. Markle include two sons, Vernon Ray Markle, Jr. of Hickory Valley, TN and Ronald L. Markle (Selena) of Somerville; his step-daughter, Elizabeth Hutcheson of Memphis; his sister, Elizabeth South of Memphis; two brothers, Thomas Markle of Wilmington, IL and Junior Markle of Williston and three grandchildren: Payton Markle, Jessica Markle and Dalton Markle.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Markle was preceded in death by his wife, Hazel Markle, who died in March of this year and a son, David Markle who died in July of 2007.

The Fayette County Chapter of the United States Marine Corps League honored Mr. Markle by serving as pallbearers.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942; Phone: 1-800-805-5856 or to the Fayette County Chapter of the United States Marine Corps League, C/O Pete Reagan, 505 Wildwood Road, Eads, TN 38028; Phone: (901) 867-3820.