Martha Castleberry Woodard

Martha Castleberry Woodard died Tuesday May 8, 2007 in a Temple hospital. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home with Dr. Thomas Allen officiating. Burial will follow at Bellwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday May 11 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home. Martha was born April 21, 1933 in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas to Jessie Dirrell and Claytie Frazer Castleberry. First seven years of school were in a two room school with two teachers in Farmville, Arkansas. At the eighth grade she transferred to Hermitage High School. Martha had rolls in many school plays while at the Farmville School and was a charter member of the Drama Club of Hermitage High School. Among the roles there were "Martha" in Arsenic and Old Lace and the mother of T.A. Arbutis Washington in the "Scare Crow Creefs" and a role in Porgy and Bess. At the age of five she had a role in the Home Demonstration Club touring production playing the Preacher's daughter. In 1952 Martha moved to Forth Worth, Texas where she met Bobby. They were married January 1, 1954, in August they moved to Lubbock for four years at Texas Tech. She always liked to say she didn't attend a single class and was awarded a PHT Degree while Bobby never missed a class and was only got a BS Degree. But she never could figure out how to use her "Putting Hubby Through Degree". After Lubbock she lived in Hillsboro, Texas for nine years then in Temple, Texas since 1967. She was a graduate of Hermitage High School in Hermitage, Arkansas. Martha was a member and a Deacon at Grace Presbyterian Church in Temple where she served as Moderator of Presbyterian Women and for several years she served as chairperson of the Afternoon Circle and The Mary Martha Circle. She was active on the Fellowship Committee coordinator of food for families with a funeral need. She served several years as Assistant Treasurer, at Grace, Secretary and Historian of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Farmville, Arkansas. In Hillsboro Martha was employed by the Texas Employment Commission and by Certianteed Pipe Corp. In Temple she worked for the Texas Employment Commission, the Bell County Tax Assessor Collector in the auto license section, and for Dan Steakley Chevrolet as a title clerk. She served as Co-Chairman of The Bell County Republican Office. Was Editor of The Central Texas Republican Women monthly Newsletter, and served as the Americanism Chairman. Martha served several offices of Church Women of the Temple Area including two years as President. She has been a member of the Texas Federation and the National Federation of Republican Women. Martha is a forty year member of the Tri-City Gem and Mineral Society, The South Central Federation of Mineral Societies and The American Federation of Mineralogical Societies Inc. She has held many offices in the local club including Treasurer, Vice President, Secretary and for thirteen years composed, edited and published a monthly Newsletter "The Rock Prattle" for which she won awards from the Southwest and American Federation. The lapidary arts, rock hunting and displaying rocks, gems, minerals and jewelry at area shows was a hobby she and Bobby shared. Survived by her husband Bobby of Temple, sisters, Mary Hamilton and husband Charles of Hillsboro and Corean Johnson of Weatherford; Sister-in-law, Jeanette Kownslar of Temple; Brother-in-law, Frank Woodard and wife Joyce of Temple; several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be John Finley, Darron Hamilton, Wesley Hamilton, Joe Havelka, Raymond Roncarti, and Richard Schigut. Honorary Pallbearers will be Edward Billick and Robert Carabasi. Memorials may be made to Grace Presbyterian Church, 2401 S. 57th Street, Temple, Texas 76504 or to Scott and White Cancer Center, 2401 S. 31st Street, Temple, Texas 76508