People

Marion’s founders had one hero in mind when naming the city: Revolutionary War General Francis Marion, nicknamed the “Swamp Fox.” “He is mentioned in a few of the early Marion County History books. The reason we are named Marion is a tribute to this extraordinary general,” said Brandi Wilson, executive director of the Marion County […]

For 41 years, Jeff Ruth’s smooth tones graced the airways at WMRN radio. Local listeners turned to Ruth for news, sports, and community events. Ruth filled the airways from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. with up to three local interviews each day as well as an hour of Tradio, where locals would call in with […]

Family brought Ana Malone to Marion. Her father, Curtis Wright, was raised in Marion and joined the U.S. Army in 1981. Ana Malone was born on a military base in California and traveled around the country. When Staff Sgt. Wright retired and moved back to the area, and Malone followed.  “He’s my rock. I owe a lot to that […]

Christy Neff moved to Marion at age 6. Her father, John Fullmer, a Vietnam vet, was transferred to Marion by GTE. He and his wife, Roselynn, raised their three children here: Michelle, Christy, and Stu. “I just felt a sense of community -ever since I was little. You could depend on your neighbor,” Neff said. […]

Ernst Stuckey’s family had moved to Prospect in the 1880s. The family-owned a meat market near the train tracks next to the fire station. His father, John, and his brother, Rudolph, were butchers and firemen. His sister, Emma, taught English at the local German school. Ernst met his wife, Ella, while they worked summer jobs […]

Jill Chitwood is a lifelong Marion resident. She graduated from River Valley in 1980 and graduated from Marion Technical College in 1982 with an associate degree in business administration. She and her husband, Wayne, have been married for 38 years and have two grown children. Chitwood worked a variety of jobs including operations director for […]