Mary Shives

Mrs. Mary Elizabeth (aka “Marian”) Powell Shives, 89, was born December 17, 1932.Shepassed peacefully on Saturday morning, December 25, 2021 at her residence.She was the twelfth child born to the late James Monroe Powell and Agnes Corpening Powell in Lenoir, North Carolina.She grew up in the Harpertown Community.She was a 1952 graduate of Freedman High School. In addition to her parents, Marian was predeceased by her bothers: Gaither Powell, Buss Powell, Albert Powell, Robert Lee Powell, Reese Powell, and Emory Powell, and her sisters: Johnsie Powell, Virginia P. Dixon, Lucille P. Banner, Christine Powell,and Ruby P. Dula. Marian was a former memberof Harper’s Chapel United Methodist Church, where she was a member of the Prayer Band and the Travelettes Gospel Singers.Later in life, she attended the Greenhill, Beaver Creek, Burgess Chapel, and Boone United Methodist Churches, to support her brother, Reverend Emory Powell in his pastoral assignments.She was a beautiful psalmist. Marian married the love of her life, Robert Preston Shives in 1961.They were blessed with three sons, Timothy, Tracy, and Tylar Shives. Marian loved her family dearly.She was concerned about their welfare.She made calls to her nieces and nephews regularly.As the final matriarch of the family of her generation, she felt it was her responsibility to keep up with the Powell offsprings.She interceded for them in prayer.She was a kind, generous, and loving woman.Every conversation with her always included a good laugh. Precious memories of Marian will be cherished by her devoted husband, Robert (Bobby) Shives; her loving sons, Timothy Ivan Shives (Valerie), Tracy Allen Shives (Janice), and Tylar Lamont Shives; her grandchildren, Kayla Shives, Spencer Shives, Thaissa Shives, Tracy Shives, Jr., and Taniyah Shives; her step-grandchildren, Melvin Hicks, Danielle Covington, Charles Williams, and Crystal Williams; two god-children, and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 12:00 PM on Saturday, January 1, 2022 in the Chapel of Evans Funeral Service.The service will be officiated by Rev. Jesse Banner and Rev. Diane Hester.Interment will follow the service at the Harpertown Community Cemetery. Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.evansfuneralservice.com. Evans Funeral Service and Crematory of Lenoir is serving the Shives family.