Marianne Sewell Aiken

Marianne Sewell Aiken, aged 99, of Eden, NC, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 20, 2025. She was born April 14, 1926 in New Orleans, Louisiana, the daughter of Granville Clark and Everall Hardwick Burdon Sewell.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Rev. Warwick Aiken, Jr., and her two brothers, Dr. Granville Hardwick Sewell and CDR John Burdon Sewell.

She is survived by her son Dr. Warwick Aiken III and wife Dr. Janet C. Aiken of Pawleys Island, SC, her daughter Everall Aiken Peele and husband Stuart of Eden, NC, three grandchildren, Michael Warwick Aiken (Amy), Marianne Eugenia Peele Pilson (Brent), and Stuart Aiken Peele (Janelle), as well as 7 great-grandchildren: Ethan Gabriel Peele, Tyler Robert Peele, Elise Everall Pilson, Lily Anne Eugenia Pilson, James Wesley Pilson, Sarah Elizabeth Aiken and Leah Marianne Aiken.

Marianne grew up in New Orleans and Picayune, Mississippi. She attended Isidore Newman Day School where her grandfather, James Witt Sewell, was a professor; she then went on to Sophie Newcomb College of Tulane University. She graduated with a degree in English with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1946, and later earned a Masters in English from UNC-Greensboro.

She married Rev. Warwick Aiken Jr in September 1946 after a whirlwind 9-day romance and engagement in December 1945. They lived for a few years in Philadelphia, PA, where Rev. Aiken was finishing his education, and then in Tunica, MS, where their two children were born. In 1954, Rev. Aiken received a call to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Eden, NC, where they served for 9 years. They also served at churches in Barton Seagrave, UK; Rockingham, NC; and Charleston, SC, before returning to Eden and St. Luke’s in 1973.

Mrs. Aiken taught children with intellectual disabilities at Spray Graded School while she was working on her Master’s degree. She then taught Freshman English at Stratford College in Danville, VA, Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, NC, and The College of Charleston in SC.

In between helping her husband at St. Luke’s and teaching, Mrs. Aiken was also very active in Eden’s community groups, including the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Leaksville-Spray History Club, the Border Book Club, and the Eden Preservation Society. She served on and chaired the City of Eden Historical Preservation Commission, and also chaired the Publication Committee of the first and second editions of “A Tale of Three Cities, Eden’s Heritage: A Pictorials Survey of Leaksville, Spray and Draper.” She was a driving force in establishing the Governor Morehead Park in Spray, overseeing the work of cleanup, landscaping, and beautification. Along with all these projects, she also helped to establish the Charlie Poole Music Festival to celebrate Eden’s Old Time Music heritage. In 2000, she was presented with a Preservation North Carolina Gertrude S. Carraway Award for her preservation efforts in Eden.

Mrs. Aiken greatly enjoyed working in her gardens and entertaining guests at her beloved home. A devoted member of St. Luke’s Church, she readily shared her remarkable Christian faith as she survived 5 different cancers over her lifetime. She attributed her survival to her love for God and His goodness to her, and would tell everyone she met, “The Lord has been so good to me.”

Many thanks to Amedysis Hospice, Bayada Home Healthcare, and Ancora Compassionate Care for their very kind and professional care during her final days.

The funeral will be at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 604 Morgan Rd., Eden, NC, Saturday, August 9, 2025 at 3pm. Visitation will be at the church for 1 hour before the service.

She will be buried next to her husband in Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.

Memorial gifts may be made to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.