Martha Eugenia Patton Waters

Martha Eugenia Patton Waters, 84 of Morganton passed away peacefully at her home July 2, 2014. A lifelong resident of Burke County, she was the daughter of the late Robert Logan (R.L.) Patton Sr. and Bess Evelyn Hallyburton Patton. When at the age of 3 Martha’s mother Bess died, she was raised by her second mother the late Margaret Spainhour Patton.

Also preceding her in death was her loving husband of 60 years, Thomas Gross Waters Jr. and siblings: Ruth Patton Grady, Betty Patton Cave Hyland, Margaret Patton Messina, Robert Logan Patton (R.L.) Jr. Joseph Fletcher Patton, and Rosemary Patton Carter and grand-daughter Ashley Iona McCurry.

Martha was a devoted member of The Dorcas Class of The First Baptist Church of Morganton and for many years kept the nursery and preschoolers during service. This was never idle time for the children but was spent in song and prayer with Martha ever sowing seeds to cultivate from them valuable lessons.

Always an advocate for education most certainly influenced by her Patton heritage, she, along with numerous family members and members of the community petitioned tirelessly to have a Burke County School named for the R.L. Patton’s. Patton High School recently held its first commencement ceremony with a direct Patton descendant Martha’s grand-daughter Savannah Waters.

Martha attended Carson Newman College, Jefferson City, TN; Franklin School of Science and Art, Philadelphia, PA; Grace Hospital School of X-Ray Technology; and continuing education courses through Western Piedmont Community College where there is a scholarship in her family name.

At the age of 18, Martha began working at Grace Hospital. This began a career in health-care spanning almost 50 years. 30 of those years were as a Radiologic Technologist (R.T.) that led to her advancement as Chief of the X-Ray Department for many of those years.

Even though there were many families that passed through the X-Ray Department at Grace without knowing her name, Martha touched countless people with her kindness and will be remembered; even by total strangers as the lovely lady that showed warmth, compassion, and empathy to all of her patients…often holding their hand to comfort them when no one else was around. She was so gifted to be able to do her job extraordinarily well while simultaneously attending to the more personal needs of patient and family.

Left to celebrate her life are her 3 children Thomas Gross (Tommy) Waters III and wife Marylin, Ruth Elizabeth Waters, and Joseph David (Joe) and wife Kirsten all of Morganton. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Tabitha Byers, husband Sport and their daughters Logan and Caroline of Jacksonville Fl. ; David Propst, wife Amy and their sons Landon and Brendon of Charlotte Hall, Md , Dr. Matthew (Matt) Waters and wife Katie of St. Petersburg, Fl. ; Mandi Waters Palmer and husband Caleb; Megan Waters Fredrickson, husband Chad and daughter "baby Fred" (Peggy Bob) due 7/27; Nicholas (Bubba) Evitt; all of Morganton, and Sarah Michaela (Baby) Evitt; of Marion, Savannah Waters, Joey Waters, Abby Waters, and Henry Waters all of Morganton; and sisters, Billie Patton Harvey of Dallas, TX and Virginia (Ginny) Patton Wagner of Kure Beach, NC.

The family would like to give a special thank you to the hearts that gave their love and time for Martha. Hospice of Valdese: Dr. Goudas, Lynn, Amber & the rest of the staff; Handi-care of Drexel: Pa, Cathy, Robin, Deloris, & Suzanne; Dr. Gould & Gia for their home visits and talks on the bed as well as the entire staff of Burke Primary Care of Morganton. Thank you to all that sent prayers Martha’s way!

A celebration of Martha’s life will be held Saturday, July 5th, at 11:00am at the First Baptist Church of Morganton, receiving of friends will be held after the ceremony in the church parlor. The family asks for you to wear bright colors as Martha was the brightest person you could have ever met.

Martha/Momma/Memaw/Gram/Martha May: God must have loved us an awful lot to send us such a special person like you!

Martha asked for donations to be made to the special places that touched her heart: First Baptist Church & Chapel of Morganton, P.O. Drawer 459, Morganton, NC 28680 or to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690.

Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.