Martha Stone, 89, of Cana, Va. passed away on Friday, March 17th, 2023, at home surrounded by family.

She was born on September 9th, 1933, in Birmingham Alabama to parents Alice and Norman Johnson Sr.
She grew up in Bessemer Alabama with 11 siblings whom she dearly loved.

While visiting one of her sisters in Tennessee, she met her future husband. She told us that from the first moment she saw him, she thought he was the most handsome man in the world. They married in March of 1950 and were married for 71 years before Roy's passing in Oct of 2021. He was her soul mate and the love of her life. Together they raised 4 daughters and a son and a few grandchildren along the way.

Martha was a stay-at-home Mom and homemaker for most of her life. In her later years she went to work at Southwestern Virginia Training Center. She was a natural with a real heart who cared deeply about the patients there until she retired.

It's hard to make a list of the memories I cherish the most. She and Daddy gave us so many to remember but my favorite memories are the small and silly things... like when she thought she won the lottery with the fake lottery ticket that Daddy gave her... Her reaction was priceless! Another one was when she was heading out the door to go to work one night and she twisted her ankle and fell in the bushes and Daddy went running out the door behind her and stopped and started looking both ways and all around her and she said what are you doing... you better get me out of this bush and Daddy said " I'm looking for Jeff Gillooly, I don't know if anyone else remembers who he is but he was Tanya Harding's ex-husband who attacked the figure skater, Nancy Kerrigan at the 1994 Olympics. We laughed and laughed and still laugh about it.
I remember the fun loving, silly homemade cards she made with love and mailed out for any and all occasions. They were the best and always brought a smile to your face, and the way she would always write in the corner of the envelope "In God We Trust."
Whenever we couldn't sleep for whatever reason, she would always sing the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" she had a beautiful voice, and it would always calm your fears away.
Every year we would pick the clothes we wanted out of the Sears catalog for back-to school and she would cut out a pattern from newspaper and make them for us. She said we were dressed as good as anybody else was and she was right, Mom was a very good seamstress. Every fall and winter she would make Russian Tea and Homemade Hot Chocolate, so-so Delicious! She tried to make everything special and there is no better feeling than being around someone that loves you unconditionally. Our Mother was a loving soul. She opened her home to everyone, and her hospitality made them feel welcome and important.

Mom will be remembered for her loving nature, her playfulness, her occasional endearing stubbornness and her sassy personality. She could really be a "Hoot." God truly Blessed us with loving parents who loved to laugh and have fun.

Although Mom didn't have a Church Home, she loved the Lord, had faith, beliefs and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.
She may be gone from our sight, but never from our hearts" We love you, Mom. You left us so many beautiful and funny memories. Thank you for being our mom and thank you for being such a loving wonderful "Granny" to all... you are and will remain in a special place in our hearts forever.

Martha is survived by her children, Teresa Leonard, Darlene S. & Joe Ardito, April Lynn DeHart and Jody & Stephanie Stone.
She had nine grandchildren: Angie, Philip, Christy, Misty, Nikki, Travis, Brittany, Nicholas and Skyler, 11 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild and 1 sister: Loretta McCoy

Preceded in death by her husband; Roy Stone, daughter; Loretta Greene, great-granddaughter; Miranda Cates,
Father; Norman Johnson Sr. and Mother Alice Johnson and 10 siblings.

Celebration of Life

Wednesday, March 22nd

Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel

Visitation 1:00-2:00pm

Funeral 2:00-3:00pm

Burial to follow at "Cephus Stone Cemetery."

Clergymen: Danny Beasley

Pallbearers:
Travis Moore, Coty Cates, Ryne Hiatt, Hayden Cannoy, Jayden Edwards, and Will Martin

"The Family of Martha Stone wishes to Thank Mt. Valley Hospice for the care they gave her during the heartbreaking final moments of her life."