Martha, also known as “Meme” or “Mamaw,” was a member of Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, where she served on the Bereavement Committee and delivered meals to the shut ins until her health declined.
Martha retired after 30 years with the local telephone company, which started as United Southeastern Telephone Company and is now Embarq. When she was dating her future husband, it wasn’t uncommon for her to call him from work as an “operator” and connect him to “dial a prayer” as a joke, one of the first “prank calls.”
Martha was a faithful and loving wife to Jimmy Eugene Gaby for 38 years until he passed away in 2005. Jim was the love of her life and her soulmate. Before Jim’s passing, the couple enjoyed frequenting a local establishment called Critters Corner in Mosheim. While there, they made countless friendships and stayed connected with those already made.
Martha was, as well, a devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She never met a stranger, and an unkind word was never said about her.
Survivors include her children: Lea Ann Gaby Jansen, and her significant other, Jeff Anderson, of Greeneville, Marty Gaby and daughter-in-law, Pam Gaby, of Rogersville, and Desiree Gaby Stokes, and son-in-law, Ron Stokes, of Atlanta; a very special niece and caregiver, Mary Ann Carpenter Brown and her spouse, Joe Brown, of Mosheim; a sister, Dorothy Walker, of Greeneville; grandchildren and their spouses: Amelia Jansen of Adel, Iowa, Jacob Jansen of Johnson City, Aubrey Gaby Miller and Derek Miller of Mt. Juliet, Anthony Gaby of Mosheim, Cameron and Rhonda Stokes of Seattle, Washington, Alexander and Payten Stokes of Cumming, Georgia, Adam Stokes of Atlanta, Georgia, Hannah Stokes Rein and Marcus Rein of Decatur, Georgia, and Seth Stokes of Atlanta, Georgia. Martha is also the great grandmother of Cassie Miller, Finley Stokes and Trevor Trentacosta. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, as well as several loving and devoted caregivers: Tracy Green, Mariah Wilhoit and Cynthia “Tooter” Crigger; as well as a multitude of special friends including: Emma Lou Haney, Sandra “Critter” Kesterson and all her friends at ALPS. And lastly, she is survived by her beloved four-legged friend, Ellie.
Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Jimmy Eugene Gaby; parents, David and Elizabeth Bowers; brothers, Walter Bowers, Luther Bowers, George Bowers, Paul Bowers, Ray Bowers and Tom Bowers; sisters, Mary Kate Bowers, Rachel Bowers Carpenter and an infant sister who passed at birth.
Due to COVID-19, there will be no formal visitation service. However, there will be a guest book available at the burial service to take place on Monday, January 11th, at Hamblen Memory Gardens in Morristown at 1:00 p.m. There will be a procession that Monday morning from Kiser Rose-Hill Funeral Home to the cemetery. If you are planning on participating in the procession, please be at Kiser Rose-Hill at 11:00 a.m. For all those planning on attending the burial service, the family would ask that you wear a mask.
Pallbearers will be Marty Gaby, Joe Brown, Anthony Gaby, Jacob Jansen, Jeff Anderson and Jeremy “Fess” Hall.
