Martha Stevens Doster

Martha Stevens Doster, 62, passed from this life Saturday, February 19, 2011 at St. Dominic Hospital, Jackson. Visitation is 5:00-8:00pm today at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl. Funeral services are 10am Monday, February 21, 2011 in the funeral home chapel with interment in Fannin Baptist Church Cemetery.

Mrs. Doster retired from Rankin County Schools in 2001 after 30 years of dedicated service, and was administrative assistant for Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home of Pearl for the last five years. Her hobbies included gardening, traveling and spending time with her family and her dogs. She was a beloved teacher, a friend to many, and an inspiration to all whose lives were touched by her.

Through Facebook, in recent years she reconnected with many former students. She often saved newspaper clippings related to these friends and their families and would laminate copies to send to them.

In a Living Legacy article of her life in The Rankin Record, May 28, 2009, in reference to her sons and students she was quoted saying, “I am proud of my two sons and my school children. I hope that I have made a positive difference to them.”

She was preceded in death by her husband, Benny Doster, parents, George and Betty Stevens, and brother, Ken Stevens.

Survivors include sons, Chris Doster and wife Kim of Brandon and Doug Doster and partner Matt Hillard of Fannin; grandchildren, Kenner and Collins Doster; sisters-in-law, Lee Chandler and husband Kenneth of Huntsville, AL, Joy Mostellar and husband Jack of Mobile, AL and Sherry Powell and husband Charles of Dothan, AL; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.