Mary Alice Martin Harlan
February 21, 1929 –
March 17, 2021
DARLINGTON, SC – Mary Alice Martin Harlan, 92, peacefully made the transition from this life during the wee hours of Wednesday, March 17, 2021.
Mary Alice was born on February 21, 1929, in Warren, Ohio, to the late William Richard and Martha Hazlett Martin. She was the eldest of a close-knit family of seven siblings.
She graduated as a wholesaler from her high school class.
On August 30, 1947, she ran away to marry Joseph E. Harlan in Bennettsville, South Carolina (the first state to travel to southern Pennsylvania, where she could marry at 19 without her father’s permission) .
She spent most of her childhood and adult life in the New Castle, Pennsylvania area, surrounded by the Martin and Harlan clans. After retirement, she and Joe moved to the Bethea Baptist Retired Community. They had many years and many good friends in the Christian fellowship.
Mary Alice was a woman of strong Christian faith who lived every day. She was kind and caring, but she was also very determined and dedicated.
She was deceased by her husband and life partner, Joseph E. Harlan Sr; brothers, Jim Martin and John Martin; and sister, Ruth McGee.
She left her two children: Joseph E. Harlan Jr. MD (Becky) from Florence, South Carolina, and David M. Harlan MSW from Bucksport, Maine. Also surviving are the sisters: Martha “Skip” Sonntag of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, Sue (Ray) Bales of New Castle, Pennsylvania, and Sylvia (Les) Krepton of Homer Glen, Illinois; brother-in-law, Lloyd (Charlotte) Harlan of New Castle, Pennsylvania; sisters-in-law, Stephanne Martin of New Castle and Mary “Winnie” Martin of Canal Fulton, Ohio; South Carolina grandchildren: Elizabeth (Ler) Bradford, Benjamin (Helen Smith) Harlan, Andrew Harlan and Sarah Harlan; Maine grandchildren: Daniel (Crystal) Harlan and Kate (Jake) Barto; great-grandchildren: Piper, Josie, Dalton, Ruth, Zacary, Cole; and a great-granddaughter “on the way.”
A private service will be shared by the family. Condolences and messages can be offered to the family at [email protected].
Memorials can be sent to Bethea Baptist Retirement Community, 157 Home Ave., Darlington, SC 29532.
The funeral home Water-Powell is in charge of the arrangements.
published in March 19, 2021