James Edward Markley

Jim was born Dec. 3, 1948, at Mill Creek, a son of the late Sherman Edray Markley and Genevieve Virginia Markley.

On March 4, 1972, he was married to the former Betty G. Brown, who survives.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, William Sherman Markley; and sisters, Virginia B. (Jean) Larimore and Myrna Carol Pritt.

He is survived by his wife, Betty G. Markley; sisters, Vonita June Pogge, Morgantown, West Virginia, Margaret Ruth Jordan, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Joyce Ann Ryder and husband, Perry, of Marlinton, West Virginia, Brenda Kay Hicks and husband, Rodger, of Mannington, West Virginia, Betty Rae Losch and husband, Denzil, of Hominy Falls, West Virginia; several nieces and nephews; and special friends Jim considered family since college, Rudy Williams and Gary Ely.

Jim enjoyed hunting, fishing and collecting coins. He also enjoyed his woodwork in earlier years. Some of his favorite moments, were times spent with two college friends, Gary Ely and Rudy Williams. Jim enjoyed many good days and laughs with his good fishing buddy, Robert “Keith” Crank. In addition, he enjoyed hunting with his friends, Danny and Ronnie Terry, on Brown’s Mountain.

Jim graduated from Marlinton High School with the class of 1966. He graduated from West Virginia University in 1977 with a degree in Recreation from the School of Forestry. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Marlinton for 10 1/2 years and then transferred to the U.S. Forest Service in Parsons, West Virginia, where he retired in 2010 with 32 1/2 years of government service.

He traveled many times through the years to various states fighting forest fires as part of his job. Jim’s first trip out of state on a forest fire was 1986 at Shasta Trinity National Forest. A few of the areas he fought fire in were Idaho, Montana, the State of Washington and California. Even though it was hard work and he slept on the ground, Jim enjoyed traveling to these areas, as he said he would have not seen such beautiful county otherwise.

Jim was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He spent time at Camp Pendleton, Quantico and in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Jim was a member of the Woodford Memorial U.M. Church in Elkins, West Virginia. During his membership, he had served on the Board of Trustees.

The family would like to thank Elkins Rehabilitation & Care Center for their care and kindness during Jim’s illness. In addition, they would like to thank Davis Medical Center for their compassion, kindness and care and a special thank you to their “Forest Service Family” for the assistance and support they have provided.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made in Jim’s memory to The North Central WV Parkinson Patient and Family Support Group a nonprofit support group that operates solely through donations, please make all donations payable directly to The NCWV Parkinson Support Group, note donations made in check form will need to have the following on memo line “Restricted for Local Support Group, in memory of Jim Markley”. Donations should be mailed to Whitney Policano, 141 Brighton Circle Rd., Clarksburg, WV 26301.

Family and friends will gather from 11 a.m. until noon on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at Saint Brendan Catholic Church near Elkins, West Virginia.

Funeral service will begin at noon on Tuesday, from the church, with Deacon Raymond Godwin officiating.

Interment will follow at the Mountain State Memorial Gardens near Gilman, where presentation of the American Flag will be made by members of the United States Marine Corps.

The Tomblyn Funeral Home of Elkins is in charge of the arrangements for James Edward “Jim” Markley.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.tomblynfuneralhome.com.