Marla Jane Dalton

Marla J. Dalton, 74, passed away September 2, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Marla was born June 17, 1952, in Bellevue, Iowa, to Clarence and Viola Roeder, and she never lost her small-town Iowa pride. As a kid, she spent early mornings digging clams and setting trotlines on the Mississippi River with her father and siblings, the kind of upbringing that gave her a lifelong appreciation for hard work and patience. After high school, Marla moved to Minnesota for junior college, where she met her first husband and started a family. The family later moved to Asheville, North Carolina, in 1988. In 2008, she married Stacy Dalton and moved to Newport, Tennessee, to build a home with him, filled with motorcycle trips, hands held tight on the couch during the nightly news, and evenings spent people watching together, laughing at the odd things people do. Marla built a career in accounting and bookkeeping, working for International Paper in Minneapolis, Gerber in Asheville, and Bass & Royster, along with a colorful string of side jobs over the years, including Acropolis Pizza, delivering newspapers in Newport, and a stint at J.Crew that her family has always suspected was mostly for the discount. In her late sixties, she took that same spirit to Cracker Barrel's country store and later DoorDash, and she was still working both when she passed. Marla was, in every sense of the word, a fighter. She beat breast cancer at 48 and leukemia at 50, something she was fiercely proud of. The chemotherapy left her with congestive heart failure and a paralyzed vocal cord that gave her a higher, unmistakably Minnie Mouse–like voice, but it never once slowed down her spirit. She faced setback after setback with grit, gratitude, and a stubborn refusal to quit, and somehow still had a smile for every stranger she met. She had a quiet way of showing up for people when they needed her most, and never made a show of it. Those who knew Marla knew her as a master thrifter who could turn a dime into a dollar, spotting brand-new clothes at thrift stores and hidden gems at estate auctions, which she'd happily, resell on eBay for a profit. She loved history documentaries and could name any song from the 70s or 80s within a few notes. Sunday nights were sacred, spent with the family working through whatever show was on Netflix, HBO, or Amazon, each episode paired with an ice-cold glass bottle of soda from the Coca-Cola machine in the kitchen, though she never touched a phone before 1 p.m. on a Sunday, and expected the same courtesy from everyone else. Every Thanksgiving, she gave 120% to make the day perfect, her signature sleazy cheesy potatoes were always the first dish to disappear, and her lasagna outdid every restaurant version anyone in the family had ever tried. Her homemade Babe Ruth bars were another signature treat every Christmas, and the family has long hoped to get her recipe just right to carry the tradition into the next generation. Dessert after dinner was non-negotiable in her house, whether that meant Oreos, Little Debbies, or something fancier. She packed Stacy's lunch for his mowing jobs with real care, always making sure he had exactly what he needed. She gave her grandchildren silver bullion for every birthday and holiday, showed love in small gifts and home-cooked meals, and nothing made her laugh harder than a good story about her grandkids' antics. She was devoted to every pet the family ever had. Marla is survived by her husband, Stacy; her children, Michael Squier (Sarah) and Rebecca Ireland; her stepson, Johnny Dalton; her grandchildren, Robbie, Alex, John, Callie, and Keegan; her great-grandchildren, Jackson and Colson; and her siblings, CJ Roeder (Marianne), Randy Roeder (Nancy Kraft), and Marcia Peters. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Viola Roeder, and her son-in-law, Marco. A viewing will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Newport, Tennessee, on Thursday, September 10, 2026, with a funeral Mass to follow at 11:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Union Cemetery in Newport.

Marla Jane Dalton

June 17, 1952 - September 2, 2026