Martha Eckard Bowman

HICKORY – Martha Eckard Bowman, 82, passed away on Sunday, November 15th 2015 at Catawba Regional Hospice after a brief illness. Martha was born on October 8, 1933 in Caldwell County to the late Lloyd David Eckard and Rosie Pope Eckard Burns. Martha had retired from Hickory White. She was preceded in death by her son Darrell Stafford and a daughter Mary Wiggins, a great granddaughter, Gina Hendricks, a brother; Bill Eckard, a half brother; Don Fagon, a son-in-law Jack Yelton. Surviving are daughters; Clara Stafford and Barbara Patterson and her husband Byron of Hickory, Betty Sue Shook and her husband Stevie of Newton, Carolyn Yelton of Conover, a son; William Stafford Jr. of Hildebran, ten grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren and one great - great granddaughter, sisters; Alma Yount, Florence Brown, brother Fred Eckard, Johnny Eckard and his wife Josie. The Memorial service will be Tuesday November 17th at 3:00 PM at Hickory Funeral Home with Reverend Robert Mote officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the memorial service. Condolences may be made online at www.hickoryfh.com. Arrangements under the direction of Hickory Funeral Home, Hickory, North Carolina.