Marian (Bates) Hepworth passed into eternal life with her Lord and Savior on 5 May 2022 at age 94 of natural causes after a long decline.

Marian was born 5 July 1927 to Melville A. "Babe" Bates and Mabel Myra (Stanhope) Bates in Hart, Michigan.  She was the third of four children: brothers Bruce, Gerald, and younger sister Marjorie (Bates) Lentz.  All but Marjorie have preceded her in death.

Marian graduated from Pentwater High School in the top ten. Her class graduated ten scholars in 1946 among them her high school sweetheart, Jesse Wright Hepworth, whom she married on 4 October 1947. They were married 66 years before his passing on 21 December 2012.

Marian was a lifelong homemaker who enjoyed decorating her home and was a gracious hostess. She and her husband Jesse founded Happy Mohawk Canoe Livery in the early 1960's and operated it until selling to the present owners in the mid-1970's. She was a church choir member and enjoyed singing in church and later in her Florida winter retirement community choir at Blue Jay Estates near Dunedin, FL.  Marian lived in Pentwater, Montague, and Whitehall with her husband Jesse and later in Jenison after his passing.

She (and Jesse) had three children and is survived by: Kenneth Neil Hepworth, Ronald Lee (LouAnn) Hepworth, and Sharon Christine (Charles) Stevens, six grandchildren: Jennifer (Joe) Gemmill, William J. Hepworth, Scott (Danelle) Hepworth, Craig (Allen) Hepworth, Adam (Molly) Stevens, Joshua (Heather) Stevens, fourteen great grandchildren, her sister Marjorie, sisters-in-law Betty Hepworth and Kathryn (Hepworth) Belk, and numerous nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be held Thursday night, May 12, 2022 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m at Whitehall Evangelical Covenant Church, 900 Warner St, Whitehall, MI 49461.

Funeral services will be held Friday, May 13, 2022 at 11:00 a.m at at Whitehall Evangelical Covenant Church, 900 Warner St, Whitehall, MI 49461. Services will be conducted by nephew Richard Smith.

For a lasting memorial, please send a donation to your church or favorite charity in Marian's name.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, White Lake Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com