Longtime Salem Township resident Marlene Elizabeth Hyde Hooker, 84, of Gastonia, N.C., died March 18.

Marlene was born in Lansing, the first child of Keith and Irene Hyde and grew up in Burnips, next door to Hudsonville Creamery. Marlene’s family had the only oil business in Salem Township as the oil boom began and she went to old Burnips School. When there was a bus available, she went to St Mary’s School, boarded at Marywood Academy in Grand Rapids. When Marlene graduated from Hudsonville High School, she drove trucks for her father’s business and went to secretarial school.

Marlene married Willis Hooker (divorced) and together they adopted Julie and James from Blodgett Christian Home for Children in Grand Rapids. She was involved in various organizations, such as Junior Achievement and Jaycee’s of Grand Rapids. Marlene worked with Amway and Weight Watchers of Dallas and eventually made her career in becoming a realtor in Midlothian, Va.

Her pride and joy were her children and four grandchildren: daughter Julie (Frank) Craig of Gastonia, N.C. and son, James (Ruth) Hooker of Chesterfield Co, Virginia, granddaughters Sydney Craig, Mallory Craig, Carly Craig, and Kacee Hooker.

Marlene has five siblings: Kay Genther (Leroy (deceased)) of Caledonia, Mich., Bruce (Mary Jane) Hyde of Byron Center, Mich., Robert (deceased) (Gerri) Hyde of Meridianville Ala., Doris (Chuck) Melberg of Duluth, MN., and Janice (John) Inghram of Grand Rapids, Mich. She also has many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Community Foundation of Gaston County, 1201 E. Garrison Blvd, Gastonia, NC, 28054, in her name. Condolence messages may be sent online at www.McLeanFuneral.com. To plant a memorial tree in memory of Marlene Elizabeth Hyde Hooker, please visit our Tribute Store.