Martha Cawthon Crook Thompson

1925 - 2020

Martha Cawthon Crook Thompson

Nashville - November 4, 2020.

Born January 4, 1925 in Jackson Tennessee, the second daughter of Millian Green Crook and Dr. Jere L. Crook. She was an honor graduate of Jackson High School and a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Vanderbilt University where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. After graduation she met and married Joe Thompson, Jr., also a graduate of Vanderbilt University and a young agent at Northwestern Mutual Life, where he pursued a career spanning more than 60 years.

Martha is survived by her four children, Millian Thompson Orman (Scott), Dorothy Fonde' Thompson Werts (Steve), Joseph Hamilton Thompson, and Martha Celeste Thompson Crouch (Jim), nine grandchildren, Martha Grace Orman Melvin (Scott), Alice Orman Russo (Vincent), William Scott Orman, Jr., Lucy Day Werts, Charlie Werts (Katie), Christine Thompson Owenell (Ben), Joseph Hamilton Thompson, Jr., Caroline Crouch Pickens (Chris), and Sarah Joy Crouch Brady (Jake), and five great-grandchildren Valentine, Lincoln and Silas Orman Russo, and Atlas and Orion Thompson Owenell. She is also survived by her younger brother Dr. Angus M. G. Crook (Nancy).

Martha's greatest joys were her Christian faith and her family. She was a loyal member of First Presbyterian Church for more than 65 years. Over that period, she served in numerous ministries of the church including Women's Church Circle and Bible Study leader, Sunday School teacher, choir member, deacon, and a Trustee at the Oak Hill School.

In the community she was active in the Salvation Army Auxiliary and Mobile Meals. She was a member of the Junior League of Nashville, the Centennial Club, the Study Club, and the Colonial Dames.

Her other interests included tennis, gardening and music. She continued to study and practice Spanish, her college major, well into her 90s. Martha especially enjoyed connecting with people of multiple generations for fellowship and service.

Martha and Joe loved to travel and organized many family vacations with their children and grandchildren at destinations like Sanibel Island, Florida and High Hampton, North Carolina. As a couple they took their first trip to Europe in 1965 on the twentieth anniversary of D-Day and returned with their children in 1971 to meet Joe's European friends from his time in the service. Martha and Joe continued to travel extensively well into their 80's.

She was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Joe, of 64 years, her older sister Nancy Crook Cheek, and her two older brothers, Joseph A. Crook and Dr. William G. Crook.

Martha will be missed by all those who knew and loved her. Giving her time and attention to her children and grandchildren, who called her "Grandmartha," was one of her greatest delights. She had a flair for suits and butterfly pins, and a talent for writing poems which she could compose for virtually any occasion - sometimes just minutes before reading them aloud at gatherings of friends and family.

The family would like to thank the devoted staff of Woodcrest at Blakeford for their care of Martha over the last four years.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 4815 Franklin Road, Nashville, 37220 or

Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, 37203. A service celebrating Martha's life will be held at a later date.