Martha Stewart Harris Beatty was born April 23, 1936 at 736 South “G” Street in Pensacola, FL. When her father completed his Army service at Fort Barrancas, the family moved to Eight Mile, Alabama. Martha attended Eight Mile Elementary School and was a proud graduate of the Vigor High School Class of 1953. She earned her undergraduate degree at Livingston Teachers College, now known as University of West Alabama. She met her husband, William Dubose “Dub” Harris, Jr. in college, and they married in 1959. Martha was a band director and taught at both Frisco City and J. U. Blacksher in Monroe County, Alabama. Martha and Dub moved to McIntosh, Alabama, where Martha taught school at Frank W. Boykin Elementary School and directed the choir at McIntosh Baptist Church. They moved to Mobile, Alabama in 1970 where Martha earned her Master’s Degree in Education and worked as an attendance counselor for the Mobile County School Board at Barton Academy. She and Dub had five daughters. After Dub passed away in 1995 of acute myelogenous leukemia, Martha retired and began traveling extensively, taking multiple cruises with her sister-in-law, Sammie Kay Stewart. She also organized high school reunions for the Vigor Class of 1953, which allowed her to reconnect with a classmate, Robert “Bob” Beatty, after the 50th reunion. Martha and Bob married in 2004 and lived an adventurous life until his death in 2010. She loved Bob’s children as if they were her own. Martha moved to Pensacola, Florida in 2014, where she continued traveling and enjoying life with her friends at Harbour Pointe Condominium. She also enjoyed spending time with her favorite cousin from childhood, Toni Moore Clevenger, in Pensacola.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Leslie Warren Stewart, Sr. and Lou Ellen Stewart; her brother, Leslie Warren Stewart, Jr.; her sister, Jacqueline Stewart Wiggins; her husband and father of their 5 daughters, William Dubose Harris, Jr.; and her husband Robert Beatty. She is sur-vived by her 5 daughters: Leslie Harris Parks (Jack), Martha Sherilyn “Lyn” Harris Harrison, Laura Harris Hauser (Philip), Leigh Jordan (Brad), and Laine Harris Ferrill (Rob). She is also survived by 25 grandchildren: Jake Parks (April); Will Parks (Katie); Harris Parks (Katie); Aran Parks; Claire Harrison Schroeder (Andrew); Gretchen Hauser Alain (Ryan); Connie Hauser Ford (Garrett); Julia Hauser; Mabry Ellen Nelson; Pete Nelson; Ryan Nelson (Shelby); Katie Lyn Ferrill McKinney (Brad); Colby Ferrill (Ellie); Clay Ferrill (Anna); Carlie Ferrill Babin (Jay); Candie Ferrill; Quan Ferrill; Kimmie Ferrill; Chloe Ferrill; Cassie Ferrill; Keith Ferrill; Kevin Ferrill; Cooper Ferrill; Crickett Ferrill; and Corrie Ferrill. Martha is survived also by 18 great grandchildren, with another on the way.
Visitation will be at Radney Funeral Home on Dauphin Street in Mobile on September 26, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. CT with the funeral beginning at 2:00 p.m. CT. Graveside service will be at Pinecrest Cemetery in Mobile, and a reception at Pinecrest will follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Glen Iris Baptist Church at 1137 10th PL South, Birmingham, Alabama 35202 are appreciated.
