Wade Elmer Marlette

Wade E Marlette, age 87, died at Duke Hospital on 2/15/25. Wade was born on December 12,1937 in Lewiston, ME to the late Lt Cmdr Wade E Marlette and Martha Ruth Hayes Marlette both born in what is now greater Durham.

He grew up in Rock Hill and Summerville SC. He graduated from Summerville High School in 1955 and Erskine College in Due West SC in 1959. After graduating, he worked at Duke and UNC- CH, he taught philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University for 3 years and North Carolina Central University for 31 years.

He became a catholic at 17 in 1955 and was active in the Legion of Mary serving two three-year terms as president of the North Carolina Comitium (both dioceses) and one three-year term as president of the Raleigh Curia. He was a member of the Citizen Advisory Council for the NC Department of Corrections (Hillsborough unit) for 32 years serving one term as president. He delivered Meals on Wheels for 31 years, was catechist of the Good Shepherd at level one 3-6 years and level two 6-9 years for twenty-five years, and volunteered at Catholic Charities for fifteen years.

He is survived by his younger brother, Graham Hayes Marlette, his godson Robert G Kirkpatrick III, and his cousin Ernest Marlette. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Sonny Marlette Foundation to restore historic Whitehall Terrace and build the Martha Ruth Hayes Memorial Gardens overlooking Duke Park. Memorial donations can be made online at www.bulltanica.com

The Marlette family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service. Friends and family are respectfully invited to attend the requiem mass for Wade Marlette which will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on Wednesday, March 12 at 2pm.