Martha Downs Sourek

Mrs. Sourek died Saturday, February 5, 2011, at her residence. She was born on Tuesday, February 3, 1931 in the Holly community to the late James Marshall and Lessie Killough Downs. After graduating Kossuth High School in 1948, she moved to Memphis to attend Draughns Business College. While living there she met a man named Robert Sourek, who was stationed at the nearby Millington Naval Air Station, and they "courted" for three years before he was transferred. She later married and while living in Germany, she had her son Mick Gurley. After some time, she relocated back to the states, living in California, Jackson, MS, and Portland, Oregon where she began her interior design career. She later moved to Nashville, TN where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor of science degree in interior design from Middle Tennessee State University. After her graduation from MTSU, she started her own firm in Roanoke, VA,where she began teaching design at Virginia Tech, Radford College and Virginia Western Community College. She gained accreditation as a member of the American Society of Interior Design. Robert, although loosing contact with Martha, never forgot her. He knew that her parents were still living in Corinth, returned there to try and find her. He did, and in 1988 they were married and have lived together and enjoyed 23 years of marriage in Corinth until she died on Saturday. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and the Little Garden Club. Marty and Robert have been involved in various mission works over the years, mentoring Samuel Vargas from Peru, and traveling throughout the world.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, James Marshall Downs Jr.

She is survived by her husband, Robert Sourek of Corinth; one son, Mickey Gurley of Fort Myers, FL; a sister, Mary Vickers of West Point; six stepchildren, Margo Cengic and husband John, Elizabeth Sourek, Mary Schneider and husband Tom, Carol Drummond and husband Kevin all of the Cleveland, Ohio area, Robert Sourek Jr. and wife Louann of Carson, WA, Sally Sanders and husband Andrew of Seattle, WA; 13 grandchildren; special caregivers Regina Rogers and Diane Franks; and special friends Steven and Charlotte Icardi.

Greg Barker, Phil Barker, Paul Vickers, C.W. Jackson, Steven Icardi and Billy Newcomb will serve as pallbearers.

Honorary pallbearers are the staff and caregivers of Legacy Hospice.

The family requests that memorials may be made to the Deacons Fund at First Presbyterian Church, at 919 E. Shiloh Road, Corinth, MS.

Visitation is Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. at Memorial Funeral Home.