Agnes Martin

Agnes Martin

Greenville

Agnes (Smitty) Martin died May 21, 2015 after a brief illness, at home in Rolling Green Village, with caregivers and family in attendance. She was 88.

Smitty was born July 24, 1926, in Greenville Hospital to Pauline Dalton and Euen Terence Smith. She grew up in and around Greenville SC until moving at the age of 14 to Fairforest, in Spartanburg County. In high school she met her future husband, Abner B. Martin. When Abner left school to attend West Point Military Academy, Agnes took advantage of the new government program of the Cadet Nurse Corps. She trained in Rutherfordton NC, Richmond VA and at St Francis Hospital in Greenville SC, becoming an RN in 1949, and acquired the nickname "Smitty" which she was known by to friends and family for the rest of her life. In 1949 she traveled to West Point where she and Abner married on graduation day in the West Point Chapel. After graduation she worked in nursing for a short time, but soon turned her attention to raising a family, and became a full-time homemaker and mother to three children. As Abner's rank rose to Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force, so did Smitty's responsibilities. She took on a leadership role in the affiliated women's organizations, with fundraising, charitable works, and projects such as blood drives with the Red Cross, in addition to her obligatory social activities. She enjoyed the travel and the many moves associated with the military life. She was an avid reader and became an avid golfer, and enjoyed many crafts and sewing for herself, family and others. For many years she volunteered her sewing skills at a succession of nursing homes repairing clothing and sewing special projects for the facilities. Smitty and Abner retired to Rockwall Texas, but returned to their roots in 2008, when Abner developed Alzheimer's disease and they needed to be closer to family. Abner died in 2011, and is buried at Fairforest Baptist Church. Smitty will be cremated and her remains will be interred with Abner in a private family ceremony.

She is survived by her children Alan B. Martin of Simpsonville SC; Dan G. Martin of Redondo Beach CA; Melanie A. Martin of Larchmont NY; and sister-in-law Ethel Dobson of Greenville SC.