She hasn't always known how to cook. Her first contact with reading recipes was while working for the Tenn. Valley Authority. She worked in the Press and Publications Department and their main function was to prepare rural areas to receive electricity. With electricity in the homes, the housewives then had to learn to use electric stoves.  

The TVA hired Home Economists to put on cooking schools and Celia's department had to prepare cookbooks from the recipes the Home Economists gave her. The recipes were typed into booklets that were used in the cooking classes.  

After Celia worked for the TVA for a year, Louis Marks, an Electrical Engineer, was hired into the company. They married in 1935; they had been sweethearts in grade school. Celia still didn't know how to cook, even after typing all those recipes. Two people were instrumental in teaching her. Louis was the only son of a true "Southern Cook" and there was Mr. Broome, the butcher.  

Senior Mrs. Marks didn't use recipes, but Celia learned the basics from her. Then most evenings on the way home from work she would stop in the butcher shop. Mr. Broome would recommend a cut of meat and tell her how to prepare it. If the meal didn't look just right, as she was preparing it, she could call him and ask him what to do.  

Celia Marks learned her lessons well.  

After leaving TVA, she worked as food editor for The Chattanooga Times from 1962-1968. Then she retired. In 1969 she published her compilation of recipes from that column in a cookbook Come Into My Kitchen.      

In 1971 the Marks made their mark in the world of retail selling -- they opened the "Plum Nelly" shop. A shop in which they would sell only handmade fine arts and crafts, especially those from the Appalachian region. They owned the shop until 1985.  

In the meantime Celia Marks wrote four cookbooks:  

• The above mentioned Come Into My Kitchen

  
• Cook's Tour A collection of recipes from the women of the Jewish Community Center, used as a fund-raiser.

  
• The Pleasure of My Company A collection of recipes from family women, who wanted to share their feelings about cooking and entertaining.

  
• The Party Cookbook written for Southern Living. 

• "Senior Neighbor News" 
• "Golden Lifestyles"