Martha Tracy. Goggans

Martha Faye Tracy Goggans, of Pinson, Alabama, passed from this realm into the direct care of God on November 22, 2018. She was 79 years old. She is preceded in death by her husband James Goggans, her daughter Allison Goggans Clapp, and by her parents and three beloved siblings: Tom Ed, Louis and Rosemary. She is survived by her brother Wallace Raymond Tracy. She is survived by siblings-in-law George and Emma Louise Goggans, by her sister-in-law Frances Goggans, and by special family members such as Carlene Barefoot, Michelle Clapp, Janice Watts. She is survived by her daughter Martha Susan Gambill and sons-in-law Ricky Gambill and Jonathan Clapp. She is survived by her grandchildren Ricky James “Jimmy” Gambill, Casie Allison Carson (Kevin), Patrick Allen Clapp (Annie), Randolph “Randy” James Clapp, and David Charles Clapp. She has two loved great-grandsons, Ryan and Logan Carson. Counting nieces and nephews plus James’ nieces and nephews (she loved them all) she has 43 living and 7 in heaven. Nieces and nephews have given her several generations of descendants, and she loved learning of births. She has several tiny descendants in heaven with her today. She has dozens and dozens of beloved friends, some in heaven and many on earth.

Martha was born to Wallace and Mary Etta Thomas Tracy on June 1, 1939. She graduated Chilton County High School In 1957. She immediately joined the Ida B. Moffat School of Nursing and graduated as a registered nurse in 1960. She and James married in 1961. She treated hurt victims of the Civil Rights struggle in a Birmingham emergency room. She and James raised their two daughters in Centerpoint and then in Pinson. She served Hilldale Baptist Church In Centerpoint and First Baptist Church Pinson. She was proud to work for East End Memorial/St. Vincent’s East. She hosted parties for the neighborhood, her work friends, and relatives. She soon welcomed sons-in-law. Due to family circumstances, she and James emotionally, practically and financially raised two grandchildren. She still hosted parties, this time for Jimmy and Casie’s little friends and cousins - she enjoyed entertaining the Gambills/Dentons. She drove to Georgia often to see Patrick, Randy, and David. The Clapp boys spent many days at her house, making homemade Play-Doh and taking day trips to pools or the zoo. Martha retired from nursing in 2006. She enjoyed her family as her health waned, and grieved when James and then Allison stepped away. Finally, her world was primarily populated by Casie, Susan, Ricky, Ryan and a brave team of daily care workers who loved her like their own. Friends and family prayed, brought food, paid bills. Kevin was incredibly kind about the days and nights Casie spent with her grandmother. Ricky could calm her fears when no one else could. Good-bye for a while, our beloved, our Martha Goggans.