Funeral services for Martha Jean Gore, 82, will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2023. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., with chapel service at 11:00 a.m. Graveside service and burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Sylacauga, AL.
Ms. Gore was born on March 23, 1940, in Birmingham, Alabama. She passed away at Coosa Valley Medical Center on January 4, 2023, on the anniversary of the death of her closest nephew, whom she loved as a brother. Ms. Gore lived in Shelby County, Alabama, before moving to Gastonia, North Carolina, where she resided for the majority of her adult life. In recent years, she returned to Alabama with her favorite canine companion, Sassy, to live with her great-niece, and eventually at Coosa Valley Healthcare in Sylacauga. By occupation, Ms. Gore worked in the manufacturing industry, but her heart was always in animal rescue and adoption. She made it her mission to care for those close to her who were in need, and the legacy of her giving spirit remains. She had a quick wit, a smart sense of humor, and enjoyed bringing laughter to those in her circle.
Ms. Gore was preceded in death by her parents, Can and Mattie Gore; her siblings, Mary Lee Patterson, Paul H. Gore, Margaret Smith, and Omega Goodwin; her nephew Bobby Hopwood; and her lifelong friend and companion, Kay Williams. She is survived by her great-niece, Tracie Hopwood of Sylacauga, AL; great-nephew, Lee Hopwood of Dallas, TX (along with his wife and daughter); niece LeeAnn Sketoe; nephew Wayne Smith; nephew Logan Smith; nephew Russell Gore; nephew Allen Gore; and a host of other family and friends gained upon her return to Alabama.
The family expresses special appreciation to the staff of Coosa Valley Healthcare, who have cared for and loved her as their own.
Pastor Steve Heartsill will officiate the service, with family and close friends serving as pallbearers.
“To everything there is a season . . . a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance . . .” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 4)
Curtis & Son Funeral Home North Chapel will direct the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in her memory to the Sylacauga Animal Shelter, 41 Shelter Lane, Sylacauga, AL 35151.
