Martha Jane Whitaker, 82, of Nashville, passed away unexpectedly Monday, Dec. 11, 2017 at Columbus Regional Hospital.
A funeral service was to be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18 at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home on Jonathan Moore Pike in Columbus with Pastor Janet Poore officiating.
Family and friends were to call from 11 a.m. until service time Monday at the funeral home.
Burial was to be in Christiansburg Cemetery with her husband, son and granddaughter (all who predeceased her).
Martha was born Sept. 20, 1935 in Knightstown, IN. She was the sixth child of Hiram and Lillian Jones Renfro of Shirley. On Dec. 9, 1955, she was united in marriage to her husband, Phillip Whitaker; he preceded her in death in 2002.
Martha worked in finance at the Naval Reserve at Ft. Harrison in Indianapolis for several years before relocating to Nashville, IN. with her husband’s job at Cummins. She worked as a realtor for a brief time and then for Brown County Water Utility, from which she retired in 1997. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, assistant mother advisor to the Order of Rainbow Girls in Nashville and a longtime member of Nashville Christian Church.
Survivors include her children, Susie Whitaker-O’Connor of Seymour, Sherrie (Donnie) Williams of Brownstown, Steve (Robin) Whitaker and Merikay Whitaker, both of Nashville; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; brother, Joseph (Karen) Renfro of Mohawk (formerly of Shirley, where they grew up); and many nieces and nephews. She was very fond of many others who grew up with her children and who, to this day, call her “mom.”
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Phillip; son, Tony Whitaker; son-in-law, Dennis O’Connor; and granddaughter, Melissa Jo Williams.
Memorial contributions may be made to the family through the funeral home.
Online condolences and special memories may be shared with the Whitaker family at barkesweaverglick.com.
Favorite Bible verse: (It was also called) Mizpah, (which means “watchtower”), for he (Laban) said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. Genesis 31:49
