Marion Walling Oliphant

Oliphant, Marion Walling – age 86, of Knoxville, passed away on Friday, October 3, 2014. Marion was born on November 10, 1927, in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Dana and Albert Walling. She was a lifetime member of Second Presbyterian Church. Marion graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1949. As a freshman at UT, she received the Mortar Board Outstanding Freshman award.; was a member of Tri Delta sorority, Mortar Board, Lambda Delta freshman honor society, Omicron Nu, Pi Lambda Delta, Phi Kappa Phi, and Mortar Board honor societies, and Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Marion served in various years as departmental editor, news editor, and managing editor of The Orange and White weekly newspaper, as Greek editor and Personalities editor of The Volunteer yearbook, and as editor of "The Torch" literary publication. In her senior year at UT, she received a Merrill-Palmer scholarship in Child Development and Family Life and studied in Detroit for one quarter. She was honored as the SAE fraternity's Co-Ed of the Year in 1949. After her graduation, she worked in UT's Alumni-Personnel Office; then worked for American Airlines in the mid 1950s. Marion married William J. Oliphant in 1956, and accompanied him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while he studied at the University of Pennsylvania for his Master's degree in Landscape Architecture. She spent several treasured years as a "stay-at-home" mother and then worked for Tennessee Valley Authority from 1983-1994. Most of all Marion was a wonderfully loving and loved wife, mother, and grandmother. She is survived by her husband, William J. Oliphant and four children: Bob (Lauren) Oliphant, Waldorf, Maryland; Robyn R. Oliphant, Phoenix, Arizona; Lauren (Wayne) Palmer, Signal Mountain, Tennessee; Paul Oliphant, Kennesaw, Georgia; three grandchildren: Kaitlin Oliphant, Sarah and Griffin Palmer. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday at 5:00 pm at 2nd Presbyterian Church of Knoxville. The family will receive friends following the service at the church. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the 2nd Presbyterian Preschool Program, 2829 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919, or to Smile Train, www.smiletrain.org. Arrangements by Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. Online condolences may be made at www.rosemortuary.com

Tributes

Marion Walling Oliphant

November 10, 1927 - October 3, 2014