Honestly, I don’t even know where to start. I have typed out posts to put on Twitter and Facebook and ended up deleting them because it just wasn’t enough to describe the man Marlee was. So, now I’m going to try and tell you about him in this article.

A little over a week ago, God took one of his most faithful servants home to Him. If you went to BHP any day of the week (especially on Friday night), or went to KFC on Sunday after church, you saw Marlee. Marlee was a part of Belton-Honea Path High school for 50 years. That’s a long time, people.

Marlee was the manager of football operations for 50 years and attended 564 games. Besides overtime, that’s 2,256 quarters and 33,480 minutes of pure football. He was a part of 8 region championships and 1 Upperstate and State Championship. I read this in his obituary and just thought “Wow, what a man.”

A man that when he asked about you and your ENTIRE family, he REALLY wanted to know. He prayed for you and with you, always smiled, and spread Jesus’ love in so many ways. He always took the time to speak to me and I will always remember that. One thing that I will always remember is when I was in high school, Marlee would come to lunch and speak to every single person at the table he was at before he sat down. I admired him for that. If only we could be like that. Honestly, he was living the Gospel day in and day out.

When I say Marlee knew everyone, I mean he knew everyone. This probably isn’t exaggerating but I’m pretty positive he knew all of Anderson County. Last Friday, there were tweets on Twitter from various high schools offering their condolences to BHP and Seneca High School even had a moment of silence for him. That doesn’t happen every day, but when Marlee is involved, people will do anything to remember him. He was just that great.

Marlee was one of God’s most faithful servants and I know he loved every player and every person that ever-stepped foot inside BHP. I am honored to have known such a special man and I can’t wait to tell my future children about him.

As I watched the video of Marlee taking his last victory lap around the field, tears filled my eyes but I know he was watching from Heaven and seeing just how much he was loved.

Marlee truly was THE Legend and he will be so missed. The song sung at his funeral was perfect for him:

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear

And what a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

I promise he had the best of friends in Jesus and he will forever have the BEST seat in the house to watch his Bears play the game he loved so dearly! Go Bears, always!