Sammy Fox Marlowe, 77, of Danville, passed away quietly in his sleep on Wednesday, June 9 ^th following a long battle with cancer. Born October 19, 1943, he was the son of the late Sam and Edith Fox Marlowe.

Sammy owned and operated Marlowe Excavating, Inc. which provided contracting services to CSX and Southern Railways. He began his business at the age of nineteen until his health required him to retire fifty-one years later. He was a hardworking man who recognized that the key to his business success was rooted in honesty, loyalty, and a strong work ethic. Sammy was a veteran and proudly served his country in the Army National Guard from 1961-1968. He was also a graduate of the Danville High School Class of 1961.

Although Sammy loved the work he did, he loved his family even more. He valued time together; he raised his family boating on Cumberland and Herrington Lakes, winter vacations to the beach, Reds games, and occasional trips to Disney World. He was always his children's and grandchildren's biggest fan. As he moved into retirement, he enjoyed listening to his "smooth jazz" music, napping to "cowboy movies", and keeping in touch with family and friends. If you received a call from Sammy, you knew it would be lengthy but full of great stories and lots of laughter. Many times, Sammy stated that he was "rich", not materially, but because he had been blessed with a precious family. He provided an example of keeping what is truly important as a guiding force in life: family.

Sammy is survived by his wife of fifty-five years, Marilyn Louise McGhee Marlowe; one son, Matthew Cameron Marlowe (Kandi) of Tampa, Florida; and one daughter, Melissa Anne Marlowe (Reid Talley) of Danville. Sammy was most proud of his "favorite" grandchildren, Ashley MacDonell (Peter) of Woodstock, Georgia; Nicholas Campbell of Louisville, Kentucky; Cameron and Connor Marlowe of Tampa, Florida; Meg Talley of Seattle, Washington; and Will Talley of Louisville, Kentucky. Sammy burst with pride when he met his first "most favorite" great-grandson, William MacDonell, in February of this year. Sammy's sister, Barbara Marlowe Rush, of Hamilton, Ohio along with her children and grandchildren, completed his family.

Sammy's family would like to extend a special thanks to those who walked alongside him during his extended illness: Ashley Webb and Dana Coffman, nurses of Kindred Home Health who quickly became family and were able to expertly match his humor and banter; Dr. Nicola Jabbour and the entire staff at Commonwealth Cancer Center; Dr. Mubashir Qazi and his staff at Kentucky Cardiology; Dr. Ayman Geneidy; Dr. Anna dela Cruz; and Heritage Hospice, particularly nurses, Matt and Sue. These individuals were not only professional but cared for Sammy with genuine compassion and kindness. His family is forever grateful.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, July 1 ^st at W.L. Pruitt Funeral Home in Moreland, Kentucky. Visitation will be held from 1-4 pm with a service including military honors to follow at 4 pm.  Interment will be held privately at a later date.

Please join the family and be prepared to share a "Sammy story". We are following his mantra, "It's better to laugh than cry".