Martha J. Cooper

Martha Joyce Cooper, 88, passed away on September 17, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. Martha — known as Joyce to family and friends — was born on November 6, 1934 to James Albert Fairchild and Vadie Shannon Fairchild in Sunbright, Tennessee. Her father was a master carpenter, brickmason, and blockmason and her mother was a seamstress. On December 2, 1952, she wed Sherman Lonzy Cooper, Jr., of Wartburg, Tennessee, who was then a Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Joyce stayed home with her three children from the mid-1950s to the early 1980s, later working as a seamstress at Dillard's department store. She enjoyed many hobbies, including reading and writing, but her favorite hobby was oil painting. Joyce completed dozens of oil paintings in the last few decades of her life, gifting most of her paintings to family and friends. She was a member of Hermitage First United Methodist Church and considered a church trip to Israel to be one of the highlights of her life. She taught Sunday school at Cook's United Methodist Church.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-eight years, Sherman Lonzy Cooper, Jr., and her parents, James Albert Fairchild and Vadie Shannon Fairchild. She is survived by her three children, Stephen Cooper of Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife MaryAlice; Sharon Cronk of Niantic, Connecticut; and Tina Kapavik of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, with her husband, Monty. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Heather Cadenhead with her husband, Tyson; Rachael Camp with her husband, Austin; Colton Kapavik; Catherine Cronk; Wesley Mullins with his wife, Alicia; Mandy Lee with her husband, Randy; Tyler Cotterman; and Zachary Cotterman with his wife, Lylia; and her great-grandchildren, Milo Cadenhead; Linus Cadenhead; Emilia Camp; Eloise Camp; Kyla Mullins; Cooper Mullins; Ethan Lee; Ryan Lee; Luna Cotterman; Silas Cotterman; and Hazel Cotterman.

Visitation will be held on September 26, 2023, at 1 p.m. at Hermitage Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens with a graveside service to follow.