Martha Jo Whitmire

Martha Jo Roper Whitmire was born on March 17, 1935, at her maternal grandparents' home in rural Gwinnett County, Georgia. An only child, she spent her entire life in the metro Atlanta area, attending public schools in Fulton and DeKalb counties and graduating from Druid Hills High School in 1952.

Martha was raised in a loving Christian home by her parents, Herman and Bessie Roper, who filled their home with gospel music. Her father taught her the basics of piano and shaped-note singing, sparking a lifelong love for music. As a young teen, Martha gave her heart to Jesus during a revival at a small country church, the experience that deeply shaped her faith for the rest of her life.

Blessed with a gifted ear and a rich alto voice, Martha frequently sang in churches throughout the area. Through this shared love of gospel music, she met the love of her life, David John "D.J." Whitmire, a talented singer who shared her faith and values. They married in 1961, and from that moment forward, Martha devoted herself to creating a loving home centered around faith, family, and music.

Before she and D.J. married, Martha worked in several secretarial positions in and around Atlanta. After she and D.J. wed, she dedicated herself to being a full-time homemaker and later a devoted mother to their son, Stan, born in 1963. She taught him to read before age three and nurtured his musical gifts from the very beginning, faithfully driving him from Holly Springs to weekly piano lessons in Roswell and to elementary school in Marietta and high school in North Atlanta.

D.J. was a well-respected businessman and partner in the Buick/Pontiac/GMC dealership in Canton until his sudden passing from a heart attack in December 1984 at the age of 59. Martha, then 49, never remarried, saying she had no desire to love anyone else after having been married to "the best."

Martha lived in Holly Springs from 1961 to 1982, then moved to Marietta after she and D.J. built their dream home on Hembree Road in East Cobb, the area where she continued to live independently until early 2022. She was a dedicated member of Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta beginning in the early 1970s.

After a fall and hip fracture in February 2022, Martha spent three months in skilled nursing and rehabilitation before moving to Legacy Ridge at Sandy Plains (now Pruitt Place – East Cobb) in May 2022. Her family is grateful for the tender loving care the aids and staff gave Martha in the three and a half years that was her home.

Martha's faith defined her. She loved reading and studying the Bible, as well as devotional books such as "Jesus Calling", "Streams in the Desert", and "Hinds' Feet on High Places". She was known for sending thoughtful notes, cards, written prayers, and scripture passages to friends and loved ones. Her detailed, caring nature and steadfast prayers made her a true woman of God and a powerful prayer warrior.

In 1984, shortly after D.J.'s passing, Martha and Stan traveled to Israel with a large group from Mount Paran Church, a life-changing journey that deepened Martha's love for the Holy Land and the Jewish people. She also delighted in the simple beauty of God's creation, especially butterflies, doves, red cardinals, sheep, azaleas, camellias, and rosemary.

Her son, Stan, shares this personal tribute: "The thing I believe Mom did best and put the most heart into (especially after Dad's passing) was loving, caring, and praying for me, always sacrificing self and doing all she could to give me the best advantages of private schooling, piano lessons, and spoiling me rotten."

Martha is preceded in death by her beloved husband, David John Whitmire; her parents, Herman and Bessie (Cowart) Roper; and her brother and sister-in-law, O.E. and Mattie Ruth Barrett. She is survived by her son, Stan; her niece, Phyllis Barrett Cook (Eddie); and several cousins.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Martha's memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, The Salvation Army, or Mount Paran Church in Atlanta.