Mary Louise Martin, daughter of the late Daisy Mitchell and Elihue Fisher, and raised by the late Lee Williams, was born in Oxford, Mississippi on March 7, 1951. Mary accepted Christ at an early age and joined Philadelphia Missionary Baptist Church. She united with the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church family to be with her husband, under the leadership of the late Rev. W. T. Houston, where she remained a member until her untimely death.
Mary received her education in the Oxford School District at Central High School and in the Memphis/Shelby County School District at Melrose. Mary shared 52 wonderful years of matrimony with James Martin and they are the proud parents of four loving children.
Mary and her family worshipped and worked together. She worked faithfully in her church where she served as Sunday School teacher, president of the Usher Ministry and formally sang in the choir, and she could often be heard lifting her voice in song as she sang from her usher door post. Mary served diligently, not only in her church, but with the district, state and national Baptist organizations. She was a former president of the District Usher Board, current chaplain of the District Ushers, member of the Congress of Christian Education, and a regular attendee of the National Baptist Convention. Mary also served as Worthy Matron of the Heroines of Jericho Court #106. She worked with her husband in the family's concrete business, Martin and Martin INC.
Mary loved spending time with her grand and great grandchildren, but she especially enjoyed spending time with the love of her life, her husband, James. James said, "she spent her first and last days taking care of me." (That's what love will do). Mary also enjoyed shopping, gardening, singing to the residents of Oxford Health and Rehab and attending church. And lets not for get that she was going to "KEEP IT REAL."
On Saturday evening, June 27, 2020, Mary Louise Martin, moved upstairs. She will be forever remembered and loved by those she leaves behind: her devoted husband of 52 years: James Martin of Oxford MS; her children: Jeffery Martin, Victor (Rita) Martin, Sherry Martin and Kimberly Martin all of Oxford MS; her nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren; her siblings: Guy (Christina) Fisher and Norris Williams, both of Fairfield CA, Willie Williams of Atlanta GA, Stacy Williams of Oxford MS, Jessie Williams, Charles (Jean) Williams, Earnestine Hampton and Linda Williams all of Memphis TN, and Jessie L. (Shirley) Williams of Corinth MS; her sister-in-law: Flora Barr and brother-in-law: Army J. Martin. She also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, and siblings: Hattie Ruth Fisher, Ruthie Ann McEwen, Stephanie Williams, James Fisher, Robert Fisher and Lee Earnest Williams, Jr.