Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Martin
| Wife, Mother, Sister, Grandmother, Friend |
| In Loving Memory September 18, 1933 July 11, 2010 |
| Mother, May I A benevolent protagonist In a story of sacrifice You intimately identify With never-ending compromise You believe what you believe And you don’t apologize Mother, may I Tell you why I Love the gift of you You’re tough and you’re tender Never idle or lazy And like every good Mom You worry like crazy You’ve earned my respect Though you don’t expect it You give me all you’ve got And I know you don’t regret it Mother, may I Tell you why I Love the gift of you And you know what it really takes to make it through the day You walk a path of faith and kindly show us all the way In the simple act of caring, no matter come what may… You’re stronger than you think And wiser through the years No one gets the satisfaction Of seeing you in tears You’re proud and you’re beautiful Without putting on an act And when I ask, you tell me true ‘Cause you’ve been there and back Mother, may I Tell you why I Love the gift of you You’re stronger than you think And much braver than you show And I love you, Mom, so very much I just wanted you to know Kathy Martin©2003 |
SONGBIRD (in Eva Cassidy style)
By Christine McVie (with poetic license…)
For you, I’ll try to stop my crying
For you, the sun will be shining
So I feel you will be with me…
and it’s alright, it will be alright…
And your songbird will keep singing
Like she knows the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
As ever before
To you I owe my whole world
To you there’s nothing I’ve left unsaid
So I feel that you are with me
And I’m alright, I’m going to be alright
And your songbird will keep singing
Like she knows the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before; Like never before;
Like never before; Like never before….
By Christine McVie (with poetic license…)
For you, I’ll try to stop my crying
For you, the sun will be shining
So I feel you will be with me…
and it’s alright, it will be alright…
And your songbird will keep singing
Like she knows the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
As ever before
To you I owe my whole world
To you there’s nothing I’ve left unsaid
So I feel that you are with me
And I’m alright, I’m going to be alright
And your songbird will keep singing
Like she knows the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before; Like never before;
Like never before; Like never before….
| Check back as I add to this page -- I'm finding it difficult during this time of grief to lay my hands on all the pictures I'm remembering and needing... as I come across them, I'll add them to what I have here already! My mom had a fascinating life - lots of friends - and a wonderful family! I want to try to depict all of that here on this tribute page... and if I can get the techies to help me... I'll try to get sound bytes of the songs on here too.... |
Elizabeth Ann Martin
(September 18, 1933 - July 11, 2010)
Elizabeth Ann Martin, age 76, of Tullahoma died Sunday, July
11, 2010 at her residence. A native of Bayonne, New Jersey,
she was the daughter of the late Hugo August Toepfer and Emily
Gertrude Farrell Toepfer. She was also preceded in death by
her sisters, Edna McGreavey and Marie Eileen Sangi. She was
married to Vince Martin of Tullahoma who survives. She was a
member of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Tullahoma.
She formerly worked as an adjuster at Woodward and Lothrop
Dept. Store in Washington, D.C. and was a member of the
Southern Tennessee Ladies Society and was formerly a member
of the A.E.D.C. Womens Club. She was an Air Force wife, and
traveled extensively with her husband during his military career
including Okinawa, Japan and Bangkok, Thailand.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, July 15,
2010 at the St. Paul Catholic Church with Father Stephen
Klasek officiating. Burial followed at Rose Hill Memorial
Gardens. Visitation with the family was Wednesday from 5:00
p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, Vinny
(his wife, Lise) Martin of North Smithfield, Rhode Island, and
Billy (his wife, Joy) Martin of Ranson, West Virginia, two
daughters, Kathy Martin of Tullahoma and Marie (her husband,
Rick) Fofi of Austin, TX, a sister, Emily Gladys Toepfer of
Tullahoma, and eight grandchildren, Dr. Stephanie Fofi, Nicholas
Fofi, Zachary Martin, Travis Martin, Taylor Allison Martin,
Steven Nadeau, Heather Nadeau, and Missy Jockell.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the
American Cancer Society.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home was in charge of
arrangements. www.davesculbertson.com
(September 18, 1933 - July 11, 2010)
Elizabeth Ann Martin, age 76, of Tullahoma died Sunday, July
11, 2010 at her residence. A native of Bayonne, New Jersey,
she was the daughter of the late Hugo August Toepfer and Emily
Gertrude Farrell Toepfer. She was also preceded in death by
her sisters, Edna McGreavey and Marie Eileen Sangi. She was
married to Vince Martin of Tullahoma who survives. She was a
member of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Tullahoma.
She formerly worked as an adjuster at Woodward and Lothrop
Dept. Store in Washington, D.C. and was a member of the
Southern Tennessee Ladies Society and was formerly a member
of the A.E.D.C. Womens Club. She was an Air Force wife, and
traveled extensively with her husband during his military career
including Okinawa, Japan and Bangkok, Thailand.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, July 15,
2010 at the St. Paul Catholic Church with Father Stephen
Klasek officiating. Burial followed at Rose Hill Memorial
Gardens. Visitation with the family was Wednesday from 5:00
p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, Vinny
(his wife, Lise) Martin of North Smithfield, Rhode Island, and
Billy (his wife, Joy) Martin of Ranson, West Virginia, two
daughters, Kathy Martin of Tullahoma and Marie (her husband,
Rick) Fofi of Austin, TX, a sister, Emily Gladys Toepfer of
Tullahoma, and eight grandchildren, Dr. Stephanie Fofi, Nicholas
Fofi, Zachary Martin, Travis Martin, Taylor Allison Martin,
Steven Nadeau, Heather Nadeau, and Missy Jockell.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the
American Cancer Society.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home was in charge of
arrangements. www.davesculbertson.com
In our shock and anguish at the loss of my mother, I'm
afraid we forgot to thank the most important people of
all ---- the staff of Hospice Compassus of Tullahoma,
who supported us and treated my mom with such
care, understanding and true compassion. We can't
thank them enough. They are still coming through for
us, checking in on us to make sure we are all right...
We just can't say enough. Anyone wanting to help
them help others, please contact them at the links
below. And of course, we would be gratefully
touched if you gave in memory of Betty:
http://hospicecompassus.com/pg-hospice-compassus-l
ocations.html?s=TN&pid=13
afraid we forgot to thank the most important people of
all ---- the staff of Hospice Compassus of Tullahoma,
who supported us and treated my mom with such
care, understanding and true compassion. We can't
thank them enough. They are still coming through for
us, checking in on us to make sure we are all right...
We just can't say enough. Anyone wanting to help
them help others, please contact them at the links
below. And of course, we would be gratefully
touched if you gave in memory of Betty:
http://hospicecompassus.com/pg-hospice-compassus-l
ocations.html?s=TN&pid=13
| In Loving Memory of ELIZABETH ANN MARTIN September 18, 1933 July 11, 2010 Hail Mary, Full of Grace The Lord is With You Blessed are you among Women And blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus Holy Mary, Mother of God Pray for us sinners Now, and at the hour of our death Amen *** You were stronger than you thought And much braver than you showed We love you so very much And we want the world to know From your loving family |
| My mom told me in the weeks before she passed, during a conversation about unanswered prayers, that when she was a little girl she used to pray to God to please make her a singer... she wanted to sing more than anything... and she said - in her genuine way "I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket"... so she always thought that God had never answered her prayers... "until He gave me you".... So I sang this song at my mother's funeral service - for my mom and for my family - with the help of my friend, Shawn Smith... |
KISSES FROM HEAVEN
Kathy Martin©2010
Zachary August
If you ever feel lonely or blue
Just remember to look to the night sky
And count all the stars
Shining down on you
They’re kisses from heaven
From your Grandma, 'cause she loves you
Taylor Allison
If ever you have a bad dream
Just look up into the night sky
And count all the stars
Shining down on you
They’re wishes from heaven
From your Grandma ‘cause she loves you
She wishes she could be there to hug you
and listen to all your fears
She wants you to know how much she
misses you
And hopes you will remember her….
Travis Allen
If you ever feel worried or alone
Just remember to look to the night sky
And count all the stars
Shining down on you
They’re her kisses from heaven
'Cause your Grandma loves you...
Nick and Stephanie –
Your Grandma loves you
Zachary August –
Your Grandma loves you
Travis Allen –
Your Grandma loves you
Taylor Allison –
Your Grandma loves you….
Kathy Martin©2010
Zachary August
If you ever feel lonely or blue
Just remember to look to the night sky
And count all the stars
Shining down on you
They’re kisses from heaven
From your Grandma, 'cause she loves you
Taylor Allison
If ever you have a bad dream
Just look up into the night sky
And count all the stars
Shining down on you
They’re wishes from heaven
From your Grandma ‘cause she loves you
She wishes she could be there to hug you
and listen to all your fears
She wants you to know how much she
misses you
And hopes you will remember her….
Travis Allen
If you ever feel worried or alone
Just remember to look to the night sky
And count all the stars
Shining down on you
They’re her kisses from heaven
'Cause your Grandma loves you...
Nick and Stephanie –
Your Grandma loves you
Zachary August –
Your Grandma loves you
Travis Allen –
Your Grandma loves you
Taylor Allison –
Your Grandma loves you….
I wrote this song one night right before Taylor's 3rd birthday when I was thinking
about how unfair it felt that Mom wasn't going to be there to see it.... I just wanted to
make sure all her grandkids -- no matter how old they got -- would remember how
much their grandmother loved them all -- sooooo much!
about how unfair it felt that Mom wasn't going to be there to see it.... I just wanted to
make sure all her grandkids -- no matter how old they got -- would remember how
much their grandmother loved them all -- sooooo much!
