Martha Lou Simmons Thompson Harper, 84, of Tifton passed away Wednesday January 16, 2019, at Legacy Village in Tifton. Her funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 19, 2019, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Steve Tucker officiating. A graveside service will be held at Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery immediately following the funeral service. The family will receive friends at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals on Saturday, January 19, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the service. The family will be meeting at 22 Moorman Drive in Tifton.
Mrs. Harper’s grandsons, Jason Connell, Justin Connell, Beau Cope, John Derrick Givens, Hunter Daniel and Dallas Peek will serve as pallbearers.
Born June 4, 1934 in Tift County, Martha was the daughter of the late Lewis Adean Simmons and Pauline Kelly Simmons. She was also preceded in death by her first husband Laton Thompson, Jr., the father of her children; her second husband, Arthur Harper; one son, Laton Thompson III (Bo); three brothers, Paul Lewis Simmons, Barby Dale Simmons and Steve Simmons; and two sisters, Nadine Needle and Sandra Morris.
Martha moved to Miami Florida at the age of 14, where she met and married Laton Thompson Jr. She moved back to Tifton in 1974. Martha was a homemaker until her children started school, then she worked in restaurant management until marrying her second husband. In her early years, she enjoyed crafts and sewing, making all her children’s clothes. She was happiest when spending time with her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed cooking and visiting with family and friends. After retiring she lived a short time in Suwannee, Florida and she and her husband fished and also enjoyed antiquing. They moved back to Tifton and, after his death, she had an antique shop. She loved antiquing and bargain hunting. She also took up painting. She sold some of her work, but mainly gave her pieces to family and friends. She later moved to Southern Care Assisted Living (Legacy Village) until her death with Alzheimer’s.
Martha is survived by three daughters and two sons-in-law, Sharon and Mike McBrayer of Tifton, Deana Goodman of Tampa, Florida and Mimi and Charles Cope of Tifton; a daughter-in-law, Michaela Thompson Strauss and husband, Barry of Beaufort, South Carolina; eight grandchildren , Jason Connell (Holly) of Forsyth, Justin Connell (Faith), Ashton Pitts (Hunter), Alli Cope Peek (Dallas), Beau Cope (Bethanni), all of Tifton, Lisa Goodman Givens (John Derrick) of Plant City, Florida, Nicole Goodman Collins (Lance) of Tampa, Florida and Cody Thompson Abernethy (Jeff) of Atlanta; and nine great- grandchildren.
The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the staff at Legacy Village in Tifton for their loving care to Mrs. Harper.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, SW GA Regional Office, 225 East Second Street, Tifton, GA 31794.