For the last several years Martha Anthony had prayed that one night she would go to sleep in bed and the next morning wake up in the arms of Jesus. God granted that prayer request for her early in the morning on Thursday, October 29th, 2020. After many years of battling congestive heart failure, she is now indeed resting in the arms of Jesus.
Martha was born in a small community just outside of Kemp, Texas on April 16, 1933. She is preceded in death by her parents, Richard (Dick) and Sarah (Sallie) Cravey; her biblical husband, Harvey Ray Anthony; two sons, Jerry Glen and Kevin Lee Anthony; siblings Virginia Cravey Jordon, Jim Owen (Bud) Cravey, Margie Cravey Roundtree, Raymond Cravey, John R. Cravey, Shelby Cravey and William (Billy) Cravey: one grandchild Dennis C. Anthony,II.
Continuing to carry her memory in their hearts two are sons, a daughter and their spouses Alan and Judy M. Anthony, Dennis and Judy Morgan Anthony and V. Ann and Harvey Johnson; grandchildren Brandie, Kelli, Joshua, Ann, Jennifer N., Candise, Jenifer J., Justin, Jared, Matt, and Alison; great grands Charlie, Rebecca, Tucker, Jerika, Cordell, Jaida, Caleb, Savannah, Cara, Peregrine, Jessa, Chloe, Cendall, Sage, McKinley, Taylor, Amelie, Fiona, Addy, Sawyer, Brantley, Ranger, Emerson, Maverick, and Archer. And brother Richard (Fritz) Cravey. There are many nieces and nephews she helped raise and mentor. Mother loved all children. On two occasions she moved teenagers into her home, who were not related to her, so they could continue their high school education.
Martha once said she prayed and asked God to let her live until her children were grown. Then because she wasn’t sure we knew how to take care of her grandchildren she prayed and asked God to let her live to her guide her children to take care of the grandchildren. Then she wasn’t sure how her grandchildren would care for the great grands do she thought about staying around a little longer. That’s when she realized this could go on forever and told God she was ready when He called her.
Because of her love for God and children and wanting to be of service, in her 40’s, she completed her high school education and enrolled into Nursing School. After completing Nursing School, she contacted her church, The Salvation Army, and asked to do missionary work with children. She served for almost three years as a Lay missionary at The Salvation Army’s Children’s Home in Suriname, Paramaribo, South America. Upon returning home to Dallas where she continued her nursing career with the City of Dallas Health Department.
One of her other loves was the love of travel. She has been to Hawaii, Alaska, Nova Scotia, Prince Edwards Island, Israel, Egypt, Jordon, Russia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica and I’m sure a few others I can’t remember.
Volunteering was a way of life for mama. I remember her making chair slip covers for the kindergarten class reading chairs that would hold the reading books in the back. Need a costume for your child, call Martha. Need a Cub scout Den mother, Brownies Scout leader, Sunday School teacher, Sports Booster club member, Teen Bible Leadership Teacher, Lay person in the church, call mama. Need someone to do nutritional training for new mothers at Methodist Medical Center, read with children in the afterschool program, attend school with a cerebral palsy child, visit folks in the nursing home, call mama. We children used to joke that after she retired it was hard to locate her and begged her to get a cell phone. Then we had to convince her to leave it turned on so we could reach her when we needed to.
You can tell our love for our mother. We are very proud of her. When we think of this young girl from east Texas, whose parents who were migrates farm pickers and then share croppers; a young woman who quit school in the eleventh grade to go to Dallas to make money to help support her family; a woman who advanced herself and didn’t let obstacles keep her from her dreams; a woman who served her Lord so unselfishly; we can’t help but be proud and want to follow in her footsteps. We are confident that when she entered heaven God said “Well done thy good and faithful servant!”
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