C. Stiles Markey, age 87, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 17, 2015 at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, NC, surrounded by his four children. Born November 5, 1927 in Charlotte, NC, Stiles was son to the late Pollie McMillan and Francis Bartow Markey of Charlotte. He was a 1945 graduate of Central High School and entered Davidson College in January 1945.
He joined the U.S. Navy in April 1946, serving in Saipan as an aviation machinist mate with a PBM air-sea rescue squadron. Upon completion of 2 years in the Navy, he re-entered and graduated from Davidson College in 1951. After being employed with General Motors Corporation for 10 years, Mr. Markey became employed with Citizens Savings and Loan Association in Rockwell and Salisbury, NC.
In 1968, he became self-employed by founding Markey Fabrics, Inc., a company that grew into a chain of 14 retail fabric stores with headquarters in Salisbury, NC. Mr. Markey retired in 1987 and moved to Las Vegas, NV where he would spend his winters, while returning to Blowing Rock, NC to spend his summers.
In his retirement, he enjoyed many happy years of golf at the TPC Summerlin Golf Club (NV) and the Blowing Rock Country Club (NC). Following open heart surgery (September 2008), he re-established his North Carolina residency in July 2010 by moving to The Pines, a retirement community in Davidson.
Mr. Markey was a member of the Davidson College Presbyterian Church. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Francis (Frank) B. Markey Jr., of Fenton, MI and John C. (Neal) Markey of Charlotte; and a sister, Elizabeth Markey Hackett of Warren, RI.
He is survived by daughters, Beverly and husband Bobby Rodgers of Mooresville, NC and Garland and husband Wes Morton of Forest, VA; and sons, Charlie and wife Cindy Markey of Charlotte, NC and Andy and wife Barbara of Evergreen, CO. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Chad and Christina Markey of Charlotte and Mollie and Sallie Markey of Evergreen, CO.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Stiles Markey will be held Monday, April 20th at 11:30 a.m. in Lingle Chapel at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the Parlor.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Nazareth Children’s Home, P.O. Box 1438, Rockwell, NC 28138.
Published in Salisbury Post from Apr. 18 to Apr. 19, 2015