November 23, 2024, 81, Goldsboro —

Ms. Marilyn W. Thorne, 81, completed her earthly journey and transitioned to her heavenly home on Saturday, November 23, 2024, in the home that she shared with her sister Madge Wilder. The celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2024, at 4:00 pm with a viewing from 3:00 to 4:00 pm at J.B. Rhodes Funeral Home and Cremations, 1701 Wayne Memorial Drive, Goldsboro, NC. She will be laid to rest at the Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Suitland, MD at a later date.

Marilyn was born December 4, 1942, in rural Wayne County, North Carolina. She was the 8th of 10 children born to Mack and Hilda (Millage) Wilder. Marilyn started school at age 5 at Friendship School in Fremont, NC where she played basketball. She was an excellent student and skipped one grade. She was a member of the 1st graduating class from Norwayne School (1959) where she graduated valedictorian at age 16.

While in school, Marilyn participated in many extracurricular activities including drama club and 4-H. As a high school student, she attended the national 4-H conference in Washington DC, where she met Vice President Nixon. Her photograph with Nixon appeared in Jet magazine. She attended several 4-H summer camps at North Carolina A&T State University (A&T) which led her to apply and eventually enrolled at the university. Marilyn excelled in both math and science and majored in nursing.

A high school teacher encouraged Marilyn to participate in the Miss Cinderella Pageant sponsored by Epsilon Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA). She was selected as Miss Cinderella and received a scholarship for university. As a first-year student, Marilyn joined the Alpha Phi Chapter of AKA in the spring of 1960 where she served as chapter president. Eventually, her sister Madge, three daughters, and eldest granddaughter would follow her as members of the oldest historical Black sorority. A long-time member of the Omicron Chi Omega Chapter of AKA, Marilyn was affiliated with the Epsilon Phi Omega Chapter in Goldsboro at the time of her passing.

Marilyn was a member of the ROTC as an undergraduate. Following graduation, she was a member of the U.S. Army Nurse Corp, stationed at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC. Marilyn was an officer honorably discharged in 1964. She practiced and taught nursing for 15 years. Her husband Elijah founded Greyhound Trash Removal Inc. on April 1, 1968. The two of them owned and operated the company for over five decades. In 1994, Marilyn assumed the duties of CEO of Greyhound and served in this role until 2022.

Marilyn was an active member of the A&T Alumni Association in Washington D.C. In addition to serving on the Board of Visitors at A&T, she Co-chaired the February One Monument Campaign along with her husband Elijah and James F. Garrett ‘63. The 15-foot bronze statue commemorates the February 1, 1960, lunch counter sit-in at F.W. Woolworth store by her classmates—the Greensboro Four—which led to the integration of lunch counters throughout the southern United States. Marilyn and Elijah believed that the vision and courage of the Greensboro Four changed the face of the civil rights movement and paved the way for their future success as business owners. Marilyn found working on this project and seeing it through to completion to have been both “humbling and rewarding.” In 2004, Marilyn and Elijah, along with three others, gave the largest outright cash gifts to A&T in school history by a living alum.

Marilyn married Elijah Wendell Thorne from Rocky Mount N.C. on December 22nd, 1963, in Washington D.C. They resided in Camp Springs Maryland for most of their marriage, having relocated to Goldsboro, NC in 2024. Marilyn and Elijah met on the campus of North Carolina A&T. Their relationship blossomed after Marilyn fell and broke her leg. Because of difficulty navigating on crutches, Elijah would bring her a meal tray in the cafeteria. Through these conversations and a summer pen pal relationship while Marilyn was on her nursing practicum in Black Mountain, a romance that lasted a lifetime emerged.

Marily was active in many organizations including the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), Oxon Hill Charter Chapter (35+ years); Alpha Kappa Alpha (74 years); St Philip the Apostle Church (45+ years), and The National Council of Negro Women. Throughout her professional life, she received several recognitions and awards from state and local government and other organizations. The ones she was most proud of include being named Outstanding Alumni of the Washington DC A&T Alumni Chapter (2012), Volunteer of the Year—St. Philip the Apostle Church, was twice named Woman of the Year by the Oxon Hill Charter Chapter of ABWA and A Top 10 Business Women of the Year of ABWA (2005). Civic engagement, especially voting was priorities for Marilyn. She participated in and supported both local and federal campaigns. She cast her vote for the 2024 presidential election on October 17th, the first day of early voting in North Carolina.

As a 1st generation college student, Marilyn was a strong advocate of education and a believer that to whom much is given, much is expected in return. Each of her four children attended college as have/are all her grandchildren who are of age. Marilyn demonstrated her commitment to education by establishing two scholarships. One to support nursing students at A&T and another to support members of the Alpha Phi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha at A&T through the Educational Advancement Foundation of Alpha Kappa Alpha. She and Elijah also established an Emergency Fund to assist students at A&T who were experiencing financial hardship. Her belief in the power of education to change the lives of young people will endure through her endowed scholarships and her progeny.

Remaining to cherish Marilyn’s memory are her three daughters; Adriene, Eva, Nicole Thorne Jenkins (Toby); grandchildren Dorrian E.S. Thorne (Evon), Zoё Danielle Jenkins, Toby Elijah ‘Ari’ Jenkins, Petal Grace Callaway St. Rose; Siblings Naomi (Wilder) Harris, Bill, and Madge; dear friends Daisy Mae & Walter Faribault, Rohan Crawley, Ray Wallace Casey, Sharonda Jones and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Preceding Marilyn in death are her husband of over 60 years Elijah, her son Wendelle Jerome; parents Mack and Hilda and siblings John Mack, Annie Francis (Wilder) Henderson, Rufus, Ruth, Jerome, Oprie Lee (Wilder) Applewhite.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of the following:

• Marilyn W. Thorne Endowed Scholarship in Nursing – North Carolina A&T State University
• Hilda Wilder Scholarship Fund at the Education Advancement Foundation for Alpha Kappa Alpha
  (named for Marilyn’s Mother)