Marie Shirley Garver

Mrs. Marie Shirley Garver, 96, passed away Thursday, February 16, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. Daughter of the late John and Hazel Ellis Shirley, Marie was born on October 20, 1926 on a tobacco farm in eastern North Carolina.

At the age of 13, Marie boarded a bus for Greenville, South Carolina to attend Holmes Bible College, from which she graduated in 1945. She was the oldest living alumni of Holmes.

Looking for work, Marie moved to Kannapolis and met her future father-in-law, Mitch Garver. Mitch told her about his son serving in France during WWII. After his return, David Lee Garver and Marie were married in 1947 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Kannapolis.

Marie was a member of Kannapolis Church of God for 70 years. She taught Sunday School for 45 years, was a dedicated member of the church choir, and held Hannah Circle in her home for 25 years. She and David hosted hundreds of people in their home and around their table over the years.

In addition to her parents, Marie was preceded in death by her husband David of 68 years; a son, Don; and her sister, Hilda Pittman.

She is survived by a son, Keith Mitchell Garver and his wife Fran Wilkinson Garver of Kannapolis; two grandsons, John Patrick Garver (April) of Goldsboro and Lee Harrison Garver (Kiley) of Charlotte; two brothers, Ben Shirley of Kannapolis and Burney Shirley of Goldsboro. She is also survived by a special niece, Jennifer Pittman, and special nephew, William Pittman. Her four great grandchildren are Anna Gray Garver, Maddox Lee Garver, James Harrison Garver and John Michael Garver.

A funeral service is scheduled for 3:30 pm Sunday, February 19, 2023, at Kannapolis Church of God. Dr. Greg Sloop will officiate. Interment will follow at Carolina Memorial Park in Kannapolis.

The service will also be streamed live at https://www.kcog.org or https://www.facebook.com/kannapoliscog.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 3:15 pm Sunday at Kannapolis Church of God.

Memorials may be sent to the Helping Hands Ministry, c/o West A Church of God, 2211 West A Street, Kannapolis, NC 28081 or Hospice Palliative care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081.