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Submitted: 11/22/20 • Approved: 11/27/20 • Last Updated: 11/30/20 • R1352565-G1352565-S3
November 21, 1926 - February 3, 2020
*Obituary
Martha B O'Roark
of Houston, TX
Martha Brooks O'Roark
November 21, 1926 to February 3, 2020
Martha Brooks O'Roark, age 93, passed away peacefully on February 3, 2020. She was born Martha Nell Brooks on November 21, 1926 in Paducah, Kentucky to Bedott Russell Brooks and Gordon Brooks. She married the love of her life, Jack Daniel O'Roark, on April 4, 1947, in Deering, Missouri. They were married for 53 years before Jack passed away August 5, 2000. Martha graduated from Reidland High School in Reidland, Kentucky, near Paducah. She received a BS in Education from Murray State University in Kentucky and Memphis State University in Tennessee. She went on to get her Master's degree in Education from University of Memphis in Tennessee. She taught school in Missouri and Arkansas and became the Principal at Marion Elementary School in Marion, Arkansas, her career spanning 35 years. Because of her love for children she was a natural and patient teacher. Her church was a very important part of her life. She made her profession of faith on July 5, 1936 at Reidland Methodist Church in Reidland, Kentucky.
She was preceded in death by: husband, Jack Daniel O'Roark; parents: Bedott and Gordon Brooks; siblings: Russell Brooks, Mary Anna Brooks, Howell Brooks and Dorothy Jean Brooks Wood; and son-in-law, Larry Maresh.
Martha is survived by: children, Daniel Brooks O'Roark and his wife Lou Ann of Houston, TX and Laurie Shannon O'Roark Maresh of Deanville, TX; two grandchildren, Sarah Brooks O'Roark Goodyear and her husband Ryan, of Fort Collins, CO. and Jack Parker O'Roark and his wife Payton, of The Woodlands, TX; three great grandchildren, Avery Michael Barlow, Cole Daniel Goodyear and Julia Ryan Goodyear all of Fort Collins, CO; nephews: Howell Edward Brooks of Fort Wayne, IN and Gordon Lewis Brooks of Three Rivers, MI; and nieces: Charlotte Brooks Wood Bonine of Arlington, TX, Jo Ann Pittman Young of Tulsa, OK and Nancy O'Roark Weir of Maumelle, AR.
The love of our mother is cherished and valued throughout our lives. She brought much joy, wisdom, strength and love into the lives of her children. She made sacrifices and gave her all to make the world a better place for her family. The light of her motherhood has been a blessing to all of us and has made us proud to have known her. She was loved by many, was adored by her family and leaves behind a legacy of love.
In lieu of flowers, please perform a random act of kindness today.
Visitation at 9 AM and funeral at 10 AM are on Friday, February 7, 2020, at Roller-Crouch Funeral Home, 405 S. Peabody Ave., Mountain View, AR 72560. Interment will follow at Flatwoods Cemetery in Mountain View, Arkansas.
Contributed on 11/22/20 by sandhollow
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Record #: 1352565