Obituary of Jerilyn Marshall

Jerilyn Marshall, was born in Wilmington Delaware on December 31, 1949 to the late P. Elizabeth and Perry L. Davis, Sr.  Departing this life on October 12, 2018 at Christiana Hospital the Lord called her home from her labor to her eternal rest.

“Jeryl” as she was affectionately known, received her early education in the Wilmington Public School System.  Shortly after high school she was joined in matrimony to John Marshall who adopted and raised her only son, Naheem El Shabazz. He was instrumental in encouraging her to follow her dreams. Pursing her passion, Jeryl graduated from Delaware Technical Community College as a licensed cosmetologist and became a self- employed cosmetologist for over 30 years. She was later employed for many years at The Delaware Elwyn Institute and held various other positions in Delaware.

Jerilyn was raised in a Christian family where she came to learn and love the Lord for herself. It was her strong faith in God that helped her through many of her struggles. Jeryl became known to many as “Ms. J’! She was a fun-loving, positive person who always greeted you with a smile and a hug. Jeryl was a fast talker that was quick with her thoughts and spoke her mind freely, but she had a huge compassionate heart. It was because of her affectionate hugs she earned the name “Hugabug”. Naheem said, “She was the most beautiful person I know!”

We can hear her saying now, “I’m alright with that or I ain’t mad at you!”.She had a love for many things including dancing, family events, get togethers but shopping was her thing; she could always find a sale or a good flea market. Her favorite past time was doing crossword puzzles and listening to music, especially her favorite singer, Luther Vandross.

Jerilyn was preceded in death by her parents, P. Elizabeth and Perry L. Davis, Sr., her brother the Rev. Perry L. Davis, Jr. and her sister, Tina Lloyd.

She leaves to cherish her memory her son, Naheem El Shabazz and daughter Sharmin Miller, two grandchildren Aleem Shabazz and AzmirWatson,  four sisters, Bonita “Lady Bee” Richardson, Mary Ellen Benson and Patty Benson; seven brothers, Francis “Pee Wee” Roy, Brinton “Sahib”, Kenneth “Senusi”, Ronald “Doc”, Melvin, Robert “Spider”, Richard Davis; five  sisters-in-law,  Carolyn Roy, Pamela, Doris,Trudy Davis and Doris Reeves; one brother-in-law, James Benson, one aunt, Verdie Brinson, a devoted friend Lola Taylor and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Jeryl touched the lives of everyone she met and will be sadly missed but never forgotten.