Martha Jo Cross

Martha Jo was born in Drew County Arkansas on September 12, 1939. She grew up in Wilmar Arkansas with her mother Susie, sisters Ruby and Callie and brothers Tom Ed and Dub. She loved Arkansas, her family, dancing, and home-grown tomatoes. She returned there regularly throughout her life to visit family, pick peas, and enjoy time with her loved ones.

At 17 Martha Jo took a year off from high school to live, with family, in the San Francisco area. She worked and went to modeling school there. She told great stories about modeling school and how a small-town country girl learned to navigate the big city public transportation system. She fell in love with fashion and the city. San Francisco always held a special place in her heart.

She went back to Arkansas to finish high school and after graduation moved to Port Arthur Texas, where her father Perry lived. That was back in the day when Port Arthur was a busy port town with lots of gambling activity and she worked for a gaming machine company. She would tell the most entertaining stories of the Texas Rangers coming to town to raid businesses and ‘clean things up’.

Martha met and fell in love with James Lee Cross of Port Arthur. At first sight James thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Martha and James married in 1960 and have shared a full life and 61 years together.

They began their married life in Port Arthur, surrounded by the close-knit Cross family with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Martha was known for having a great sense of humor, being full of fun, and always eager to help others. She was a homemaker, loved by all and dubbed the favorite aunt by many.

In 1972 James’ job with Lone Star Distributing took them to Austin Texas. The Lone Star group became lifelong friends and were like extended family. They enjoyed fabulous travels together, raised their children together and shared many good times, one of which was the legendary Bubba Dew 4th of July annual picnic. Their group of dear friends expanded as companies morphed and new friends came into their lives.

Martha worked at IBM for about 8 years in the 1970’s and later in life enjoyed working at TJ Maxx, her favorite place to shop! At TJ Maxx she made more good friends and she and James have enjoyed sharing birthdays and dinners with this group for the past 10 years or more.

Martha Jo cherished family and friends. She loved playing gin rummy, her flowers, gardening, junking, cooking, and watching football with James. Everyone and their dog were always welcome at the Cross home, folks loved to come over to eat Martha Jo’s delicious southern cooking, have a glass of wine, enjoy her funny stories, and laugh.

Martha Jo is survived by her husband James, daughter Rhona Cross Moore, stepchildren Danny Cross (wife Darri) and Rhea Cross Melancon (husband Tony Perrone), her grandchildren James Will Moore, Shawn Melancon, Sabre Portie (husband Jason) and Amber DeJesus (husband Daniel), great grandchildren Taylor Bergeron, Laci Bergeron, Brayden Portie and Noelle Pinckard, and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A Memorial Service will be held at Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home in Austin on Saturday September 11, 2021, at 11:00am. Everyone is invited to stay for lunch after the service for visiting, storytelling and celebrating her life. The venue is set up to facilitate social distancing.

Honorary Pallbearers are Ted Thomas, Jack Chaneyworth, Bruce Bates, Allen Fellhaver, Joe Musuda, and Dale Strickland.

JoJo, we already miss you terribly. Dance in heaven with the angels. We know there was a crew waiting to hug your neck. John 3:16