Nancy L. (Swartz) Marks, age 85, passed away Monday, August 26, 2024 at her home at South High Senior Living in Knoxville, Tennessee. She passed peacefully with family by her side and joined her husband in heaven on his birthday. 

Nancy was born in Johnson City, Tennessee on August 11, 1939. Her early years were spent living with her grandparents, then living on her own and working while completing high school. She graduated from Science Hill High School in 1957 with honors. She worked in Johnson City in the X-ray Department at Memorial Hospital and for the Draft Board during the Vietnam Conflict as an Administrative Assistant. She had a short first marriage, divorced, and was an incredible single mother until 1966, when she married James “Jimmy” Marks. During her second marriage, Nancy became a homemaker, a title she earned in the truest sense of the word as she truly made a home for her family. She also held titles of homeroom mother, team mother, scorekeeper, and various PTA/committee/volunteer titles as she was actively involved in every aspect of her children’s lives. After the passing of her husband, she moved to Mauldin, South Carolina, where she lived for eight years before moving to Knoxville in 2022. Nancy was a longtime member of North Johnson City Baptist Church then Mauldin First Baptist Church. 

Nancy was well known for her ability to fight through adversity and keep a smile on her face, which she demonstrated early in life as she struggled through circumstances, then later in life as she struggled with illness. She was a great bowler, bowling many games above 200 in league matches, and once bowled a 278. Nancy was a huge fan of Elvis Presley and had a very impressive collection of Elvis memorabilia, which was once featured on the local news. She was an avid reader, enjoying mostly mysteries and romance novels. Her favorite television shows were detective shows and game shows. She was a sales representative for Sarah Coventry jewelry, Tupperware, and Avon. She enjoyed playing games, especially Yahtzee and bingo. Nancy loved her family’s pets and was especially close to their cat, Sandy. She enjoyed time with her friends eating meal together and going to garage sales. Nancy was rarely seen without wearing her Revlon Coffee-Bean-colored lipstick. She was well known among family and friends for her delicious chicken and dumplings and her chicken spaghetti. She loved going to Cracker Barrel and some of her favorite foods and drinks included fried okra, pinto beans, cornbread, Dairy Queen Dilly Bars, grilled cheese sandwiches, Kit Kat bars, blueberries, red grapes, cappuccino, and Diet Coke.

Nancy loved her family dearly, which was very evident in the way she lived her life. If you had a picture in your mind of the perfect, always-in-your-corner Mom, she was it. Her greatest joys included anything and everything involving her family. She especially loved watching her children and grandchildren play sports and she attended all of their school and church events. She loved reliving family memories through pictures and had shelves full of photo albums and walls full of framed family photos. Nancy told stories about her children and grandchildren to anyone who would listen. She taught her family what unconditional love looks like through her words and through her actions. Conversations with her children and grandchildren usually ended with, “I love you dearly. Call me if you need me.” Her love for her family was truly inspirational. 

Nancy was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Jimmy Marks; brother, Bill Swartz; son-in-law, Troy Tittle; and baby granddaughter, Kaitlyn Marks. She is survived by her daughter, Vicki Tittle of Cumming, Georgia; son, Todd Marks (wife Lori) of Mauldin, South Carolina; daughter, Micki Morris (husband Matt) of Knoxville, Tennessee; grandchildren, Renee Fritts, Jeremy Marks, Brandon Marks, Chelsea Marks, and Ashlyn Swaggerty; great-grandchildren, Logan Fritts (wife Taylor) and McKinley Fritts; great-great-grandchildren, Everleigh Love and Kaden Love; sister, Brenda Jenkins; brother, Garry Swartz; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Nancy also leaves behind many family friends who called her Mom and Mamaw because she had a way of making everyone feel like family. 

The family would like to give a special thank you to the staff at South High Senior Living, who provided excellent care and love to Nancy during her final months of life. 

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at the outdoor pavilion at North Johnson City Baptist Church, 305 Ferndale Road in Johnson City. Guests are invited to dress casually and come anytime between 12:00 - 3:00 pm, with a service starting at 1:00 pm. The family requests that in-lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which was Nancy’s favorite charity, or The Alzheimer’s Association.