Opal Inez (Witty) Martin

Opal Inez (Witty) Martin passed away Wednesday, September 2, 2020 after a brief illness.  She was born April 14, 1928 in the Oak Grove Community near Centertown.  She graduated from Centertown High School in 1946 and promptly moved to Nashville to attend Tennessee Business College.  She was an excellent student and loved learning.  She graduated from business school in 1947 and moved to Muncie, Indiana.  She went to work as a secretary in the engineering department at Ball Corporation.  She was introduced to her future husband, Roy Martin, by a mutual friend.  She found out Roy was from Coffee County and they had several mutual friends.  They connected quickly and were married January 21, 1950.  They had been married for less than two years when Roy was drafted into the Korean Conflict.  He served his country for two years and returned home to his wife.  Their first child was born nine months after he got home.  They had two more children. She was very active in encouraging her kids to do well in school.  She was very proud that all her children finished college with at least a four year degree and owned their own businesses.  In 1978, her husband retired from his job in Muncie, Indiana and they moved back to Tennessee.  Roy chose to purchase a property in Cannon County to be near their home towns.  In her retirement years in Woodbury, Opal enjoyed walking, visiting with friends, neighbors, and relatives, traveling and sightseeing, gardening, yard work, tending to her flowers, cooking, canning and baking, and following the Atlanta Braves baseball team.  She also enjoyed her grandchildren when they started coming along.  She showed much pride when talking about her grandchildren, Douglas, Austin, Price, and Lily.  She was a wonderful mother and grandmother. 

Opal attended Sunny Hills Baptist Church.  She loved the ladies in her Widows Fellowship Group and took great comfort in her friendship with these special ladies.  Opal was described as a “sweet lady” by all who met her.  She was an encouraging woman who always looked for the best in everyone.  Heaven will open its gates for another one of God’s children. 

Opal was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 65 years, Roy Martin; her mother and father, Ollie Lee and Willie Witty; her brother, Jim Witty; and daughter in law, Rhonda Martin.  She is survived by her three children, Gary Martin and wife Lori, and grandchildren, Price and Lily; Debbie (Martin) Barnes and husband, Larry Barnes; and Roger Martin and grandchildren, Douglas and Austin.

Funeral services will be held at 11 am, Saturday, September 5, 2020 in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home with Bro. Jimmy Barrett officiating.  Interment will follow in Shady Grove cemetery.  Visitation with the family will be Friday, September 4, 2020 from 6 pm until 8 pm and Saturday, September 5, 2020 from 10 am until time of service. 

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