A Celebration of Life for Mrs. Marjorie Lightfoot Looney, 90 of Decatur, AL. will be 2:30 PM, Sunday at St. James C.P. Church in America and burial in Sterrs Cemetery. Mrs. Looney passed away Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at Madison Hospital.   She is the mother of Mrs. Phyllis Looney-Jones of Huntsville, AL.

Marjorie Lightfoot Looney is the daughter of the late Phillip and Alberta (Holt) Lightfoot. She was born May 24, 1927 in Decatur, Alabama. She was preceded in death by her husband, James O’neal Looney; brothers: Newlyn Lightfoot, Gettis Lightfoot, Milton Lightfoot (Mary), Marvin Lightfoot and John Lightfoot (Kathryn) and her sisters: Juanita Lightfoot and Wilhelmina Lightfoot.

Marjorie enjoyed attending school. Her early years began at Carver Elementary School which went to the 6th grade. She later graduated from Decatur Negro High School (later renamed Lakeside High School). Her extra-curricular activities included the track team. Many years after her high school graduation, she was one of the visionaries to begin planning a class reunion/school reunion, which she faithfully attended.

During her youth, Marjorie confessed hope in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. She was baptized and became a part of the body of believers at the St. James Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America. In her early years, she served as a delegate for the Sunday School Convention and the General Assembly. Marjorie served the Lord and her church faithfully until she began to face health challenges. She taught Sunday School as long as most people have been alive. You didn’t leave her class not knowing what “thus said the Lord”. For many years, she served on the Program Committee. It was never an option for a child to not know his or her Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Christmas speech or a part in a play. Other service capacities included VBS teacher, President of Club #4, pianist for “The Bunch”, and Godly Women (Mother of the Church).

Family has always been an important part of Marjorie’s life.  For many years, her secretarial skills were utilized to maintain family reunion records for the Lightfoot, Drake, Lane and Moore Family Reunion and for the Neal/Holt/Patton Family Reunions. She made certain that each person (young and old) signed their name in the attendance book.

Transporting joys - You hadn’t lived until you rode with Marjorie!! She didn’t get her driver’s license until she was 40 and her first vehicle was a station wagon. She was Decatur’s first official Uber service. If you or your child needed transportation to church or anywhere else, as long as it was before dark and it wasn’t raining, she would gladly carry you to your destination.

Marjorie’s career choices proved that she spent most of her life serving others and caring about their wellbeing. She was employed by Atlanta Life Insurance Company as an insurance agent. Marjorie made sure her clients maintained their coverage and faithfully made “house-calls” to collect their premiums. As a custodian for Robinson Furniture, her job was to make sure the furniture was cleaned and eye-catching for the customers. After retiring from Robinson’s Furniture, she began working for Sterrs Daycare as a Foster Grandparent. Once again, she was in full teaching mode. This part-time position lasted for 17 years. 

In 1966, Marjorie and James O’Neal Looney became one. This marriage took place at the home of her pastor Rev. W.E. Scott. To this union, a daughter was born.

Mother Looney has met her limit on earth. She departed this life August 22, 2017 at 10:30 p.m. at Huntsville Hospital (Madison, Alabama). One of her favorite quotes was, “May the work I’ve done, speak for me.” Her legacy and love for her family and friends will live forever.

Those left to cherish her memory include a loving and devoted daughter, Phyllis Looney-Jones (Kim), Huntsville, Alabama; two grandsons she adored: Phillip Kenard and Krayton Andrew Jones, both of Huntsville, Alabama; three compassionate nieces: Ann Lightfoot, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Juanita Lightfoot and Jeanette Lightfoot Daniels, both of Boston, Massachusetts; three caring nephews: Kennedy Lightfoot and Marvin Lightfoot, Jr., both of Boston, Massachusetts and Edward Lightfoot; two loyal sister/cousins: Helen Burwell, Huntsville, Alabama and Ellen Walton, Detroit, Michigan; an affectionate brother/cousin, John A. Drake, Sr., Harvest, Alabama; four special cousins: Melvin Lightford, Nashville, Tennessee, Louise Gurley, Huntsville, Alabama, Christine Neal, Louisville, Kentucky and Curtis Miller (Elizabeth), Decatur, Alabama; a host of great nieces, great nephews and cousins; special friends: Mary Carden, New York, Reletha Moch, Detroit, Michigan, Etta Freeman, Edna Priest, Nellie Jackson, Delilah Fletcher, Linda Williams, Rose Cooper, Judy Davis and others all of Decatur, Alabama; Rosie Jones and Ruth Mathews, both of Huntsville, Alabama; the  Lightfoot, Drake, Lane and Moore Family, the Baughs, the Neals/Holt/Patton Family, the Robinsons/Russells (godchildren), the Lucket/Ratliff Family, the Toneys, the Fennells, the Johnsons, Edmonds/Caudles, Mathews, Sales, the Taylors, and the St. James CPCA Church Family.