Mary Markley Marshall

 

Mary Markley Marshall died peacefully at her home on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina on April 6, 2025, a few weeks after her 89th birthday. Her beloved husband, Tony, was at her side, together with loving family, friends, and caregivers.

 

Born and raised in Bluffton, Indiana, Mary was the second of two daughters of Max and Eunice McGraw Markley. Her musical talent became apparent at the age of five, when her mother noticed that she was playing her older sister, Suzi’s, piano lessons by ear. Soon, Mary was taking piano lessons. Her first professional appearance was at age nine, entertaining at meetings of the Bluffton Rotary for a fee of one dollar.

 

The family loved to take road trips together out West. Daddy Max would lead the family in singing the songs of World War I; in turn, the girls would sing the hits of the Forties and Fifties, when not fighting over territory in the back seat.

 

Weekly trips to Fort Wayne for more advanced music lessons gave Mary a solid foundation in music theory and piano. After graduating from Bluffton High School in 1954, Mary enrolled in the Music School at Northwestern University, where she developed new skills in composing for and directing student singing groups.  She followed her mother and sister in joining Kappa Kappa Gamma, serving ultimately as Chapter President and remaining active for the rest of her life. In her senior year, she was selected to join Mortar Board, an honor society, and was elected president of the Women’s Self-Government Association. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1958.

 

After graduation, Mary accepted a teaching position on the staff of the Graham-Eckes School in Palm Beach, Florida. There, she met her future husband, The Rev. Robert Pollard III, an associate priest at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in West Palm Beach. She married Bob in the fall of 1959; shortly thereafter, Bob’s bishop appointed him Vicar of All Saints Church, Valley Cottage, New York, where their two sons were born: Rob, in 1962, and Mark, in 1965.

 

In February of 1964, while Rob was still an infant, Mary earned a Master of Arts degree in Music and Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She studied under Dr. Robert Pace, head of piano instruction, mastering Dr. Pace’s method of instruction.

 

In 1970, the family moved across the Hudson to North Tarrytown, where Mary established a music school in their home. It was so successful that in time she employed several teachers and had acquired four pianos. To her students, she was like Mary Poppins—seemingly defying gravity while introducing them to the joy of acquiring new skills.

 

Continuing her connection with Dr. Pace, Mary joined the board of his International Piano Teaching Foundation and travelled throughout the United States conducting advanced workshops for music teachers. Mary won national acclaim for her Musicianship Festivals, which featured her conducting a large multi-piano concert with two students at each piano. She produced these events in major cities from coast to coast, earning coverage in a Life Magazine photo essay.

 

In 1978, while continuing to direct her music school in Tarrytown, Mary accepted a part-time position on the music staff at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in New York City. As director of a new nine o’clock service, she immediately set to work forming a community choir and a handbell choir, planning and directing all parts of the service, arranging original settings of the Eucharist, and performing at the organ and piano each Sunday. Mary’s free spirit was a constant source of positive energy and good cheer. She was a loyal friend and cherished counselor, and her caring, loving presence earned her the devotion of all her choir members and colleagues. While at St. Bart’s, Mary provided music direction for “Wind and Fire,” a Pentecost service featuring her original music, which was broadcast live nationwide by CBS. And in 1981, she co-anchored a regular two-hour Sunday afternoon series on the Episcopal Television Network, for which she wrote, arranged, and performed music, acted, and read church news.

 

In 1982, Bob and Mary decided to part ways, and Mary closed her music school to pursue her dream of living and working in New York City. She loved the energy and excitement of Manhattan. She was thrilled when she landed a second job as a pianist in the Oak Room of the Plaza Hotel. For three years, she appeared nightly during the dinner hour, taking requests for show tunes and old favorites. Victor Borge, popular comedian, pianist, and Oak Room regular, would not dine there if anyone but Mary was at the piano.

 

In 1984, Mary met and fell in love with Tony Marshall, who had recently joined the St. Bartholomew's staff as business manager. For three years, Mary and her sons vacationed with Tony, skiing in the Berkshires, exploring Jackson Hole, and cruising in a small sailboat. In 1987, they were married in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, close to Tony’s home in Great Barrington. Following their marriage, Mary retired from St. Bartholomew's, but she and Tony continued to divide their time between New York and Great Barrington.

 

In 1994, they retired to Hilton Head Island, where, free of the pressures of her career, Mary’s focus on the life of the spirit came to the forefront. After a retreat at The Snail’s Pace in Saluda, North Carolina, Mary felt drawn to the study and practice of Christian contemplative prayer. She formed and, for many years, led a weekly Centering Prayer group at All Saints Church, Hilton Head Island. In 1995, Mary enrolled in the Sursum Corda Spiritual Directors Formation Program, becoming a Spiritual Director in 1997. She joined the staff of Sursum Corda and provided music and liturgical support at successive annual residencies until 2006, when the program moved to North Carolina. During this period, Mary trained at Mercy Center, near San Francisco, becoming a supervisor of Spiritual Directors. For many years thereafter, she was a beloved companion to those seeking guidance on their spiritual journeys.

 

In 1999 and 2000, Mary was asked to serve as Director of Music at All Saints Church, Hilton Head Island. She recruited and trained a choir of forty voices, purchased a fine set of Malmark handbells, and formed the parish’s first handbell choir.  She inspired and enabled spirited congregational participation in worship, both in word and song, introducing innovations such as the music of the Taizé community. Every facet of Mary’s life reflected her profound and abiding faith in God’s love and her calling to help others know that love. 

 

In their retirement, Mary and Tony enjoyed European travel with their families, small ship cruises, and winter vacations in the Virgin Islands. Many summers were spent cruising the East Coast together from Florida to Canada in Tony’s trawler yacht “Growler.”

 

Mary adored her family and grandchildren. She was happiest whenever she could share in their lives during family gatherings, and they loved her indomitable free spirit. Her buoyant enthusiasm and zest for life will be an enduring inspiration to them. Through good times and hard times, Mary’s radiant, loving smile and warm embrace never failed to bring comfort and joy to all whose lives she touched. Her pure, unalloyed goodness will live on in our hearts as a cherished memory.

 

Mary is survived by her loving husband of 38 years, Allerton Delano Marshall; her sons, Robert Markley Pollard (Lisa) and Mark Redwood Pollard (Jill Enos); and by six beloved Pollard grandchildren: Robbie, Max, Sammy, Colette, Oscar, and Drew. She is also survived by her niece, Sheryl Spradling Summe (Jon), her nephew, Allen Spradling (Tracy), and seven grandnieces and grandnephews.  Her older sister, Susanne Markley Spradling (Lou), died in 1996.

 

A celebration of Mary’s life will take place at All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, on Saturday, May 31st at 12:00 noon.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Mary’s memory to All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. 

 

 

 

 

 

Even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.