Donald Richard Marlowe

Don Richard Marlowe, 81, of Burlington, North Carolina died at White Oak Manor on Thursday, October 15, 2020 due to complications from a traumatic brain injury early in the year.
A native of Canton, Georgia he was the husband of Shelby Lindsey “Shelley” Marlowe, and the son of the late Sawyer Davis Marlowe and Louise Holland Marlowe. He was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter and a veteran of the United States Navy. He was a former longtime member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Rome, Georgia.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughters Mary Christian “Chrissy” Marlowe of Athens, GA and Betsy Marlowe Hooper and her husband David of Burlington, NC; grandchildren, Shelby Lee Cook and Mary Lyle Cook of Athens, GA and Ella Louise “Lou” Hooper and Fred Veach Hooper, II of Burlington; sister Judy Marlowe Wolf of Atlanta; nieces, Shelley Henson and Lucy Perry; and nephews, Charles Crisp and John Crisp.

Don and Shelley married almost 58 years ago, in Rome, Italy. Don ziplined from his Navy ship to another in the middle of the Mediterranean Ocean to meet her in Italy. They were married on December 20th or 21st, 1962—he could never remember which. None of this could have happened, if he hadn’t saved her from a riptide at PCB when they were teenagers. Or if his mother hadn’t read the legal notice about Shelley and her sister being flashed in Atlanta, prompting Don to call her again after a brief pause in their romance.

Marlowe was many things through the years: world traveler, avid reader, inventive handyman, storyteller, converse‐wearing grandfather, amateur stunt water‐skier, homeless advocate, prankster, carpet designer, martini‐drinker, beach‐walker, grill‐master, and roller‐skating gorilla. He was an artist‐‐ watercolorist, painter, sculptor, vestment‐designer, metal‐worker, jewelry‐maker, custom holiday card creator, art teacher, and dollhouse‐builder. He was creative in all his endeavors and inspired by the spirit of places and beauty in all things. But mostly, a funny, creative, loving, and loyal husband, father, grandfather, father‐in‐law, uncle, and friend.

He had a long career in the carpet industry as a designer, colorist, and forecaster. His career started at Trend Mills in Rome and included his own design firm, Don Marlowe & Associates. He became an ardent advocate for the homeless and was instrumental in the founding of a men’s homeless shelter and the creation of Good Neighbors Ministries in Rome. More recently, he served on the Habitat for Humanity board of directors in Roxboro and delighted in his volunteer work with the Newlin School as a Lucky Listener for elementary school children.

The family will hold services in Rome, Georgia at a later date in hopes of hugging the necks of those who loved him and laughing aloud at the stories of his life. If anyone would like to donate in his memory, we think he would most want it to be to Holy Comforter’s Newlin School Partnership so more children get the opportunity to be listened to by someone who cares. https://hc-b.org/ministries/newlinpartnership/

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Donald Richard Marlowe, please visit our floral store.