Martha Carol Welch Johnston was born July 19, 1940 in Memphis, Tennessee to her parents Dr. Julian Kenneth Welch, Jr. and Lucille Mount Welch. She grew up in Brownsville, Tennessee and graduated from Haywood High School in 1958.
After spending her first two years of college at Randolph Macon in Virginia, she transferred to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts in 1962. While attending UT, she met her husband Robert Lee Johnston. They married in 1963 and built a life together until his death in 2016.
Immediately out of college, Martha worked for the Welfare Department in Memphis. Once she had children, she stayed home to raise her family. When her children were grown, she went back to school and received a Bachelor’s of Science degree from University of Tennessee Medical School in Memphis with a concentration in Medical Technology in 1993. She worked as a Medical Technologist for Baptist Hospital in Memphis for many years. Martha spent most of her life in West Tennessee. In 2017, following the death of her husband, Martha moved close to her daughter in Montgomery, Alabama for her final years.
Martha was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother. She put her family’s needs above her own her entire life. She loved to travel, the beach, playing tennis, and spending time with family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 53 years, Robert Lee Johnston; her brother, Julian Kenneth Welch, III; and her granddaughter, Zoe Reyes Johnston.
Martha is survived by her children, Scott Johnston (Patricia), Lucy Johnston Daniel (Rusty); her grandchildren, Russ Daniel, Davis Daniel (Meg), Lucia Johnston; her siblings, Judy Laney, David Welch (Karen), Bill Welch (Katherine); and her sister in law, Margaret Welch. She is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and her beloved dog, Lulu.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff and administrators at Oak Grove Inn, Montgomery and to Pakethia Jackson with Answered Prayer Montgomery for their assistance in Martha’s care.
In lieu of flowers, donation can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Brain Foundation in Martha’s honor.
Family will receive from 10:00am to 10:30am on Saturday, March 2 at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Rd, Bartlett, TN. A memorial service will follow at 10:30am.
