Martha Anne Mazzola, 91, passed away at her home in Houston, Texas on Sunday, September 23, 2018. Marty, as she was known to most of her family and friends, was born on June 16, 1927 in Paducah, Kentucky and was the first child of Cecil A. and MaiVe West Gillum. By age two, they had moved to Southern California. She graduated from Lincoln Heights High School in Los Angeles, California in 1944. She was introduced to a young man by a close friend in 1953, and they had their first date. She was not impressed. However, a year later, she convinced her friend to set her up again with the same young man. Six months later, in December of 1954, she married the love of her life, Frank Mazzola. They raised three children and lived all over the country; Southern and Northern California, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Virginia, and Texas, and in 1980 moved to Saudi Arabia. While living in Saudi Arabia, they traveled throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Africa. Upon retirement in 1989, they landed in Las Vegas, Nevada before relocating back to Houston, Texas in 2001. Their storybook love affair lasted nearly 60 years; right up until the time of Frank’s passing in March of 2014. Martha was preceded in death not only by her beloved husband Frank, but also her parents and younger sister, Barbara, who died as an infant. She is survived by her daughter, Michelle Mazzola of St. Helena, CA; son, Frank G. Mazzola and wife Karen of Houston, TX; daughter, Donna Mazzola Sarvadi and husband Jerry of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; three beautiful granddaughters, Cori Geller, Megan Mazzola and Carly Sarvadi; half-brother Mike Gillum and his wife Mary Ann of Ozark, MO; half-sister JoAnn Newsom of Fresno, CA; sister in law, Emma Mazzola of Calistoga, CA; sister in law, Florence Mazzola Gipple of Anaheim, CA and numerous nieces and nephews who she loved dearly. We, along with her numerous friends at Village on the Park, will miss her tremendously but take comfort in knowing that she is, once again, hand in hand with her beloved husband, Frank.
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