Bernadette “Wunky” Butler Martin

Published 12:01 am Sunday, June 21, 2015

Bernadette “Wunky” Butler Martin

Jan. 11, 1933 – June 18, 2015

VIDALIA — Funeral services for Bernadette “Wunky” Butler Martin, 82, of Vidalia, will be Monday, June 22, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Vidalia with Father Joseph Xavier officiating.

Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. at the church. A rosary service will be held at 8:30 a.m.

Burial will follow at the Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Mrs. Martin passed away on Thursday, June 18, at Merit Health Natchez Community Campus.

She was born on Jan. 11, 1933, in Natchez to Elbert and Mary Margaret Butler.

Mrs. Martin was a homemaker. She was a member of the Lady of Lourdes Altar Society and Rosary Prayer Group. She was a choir member and led the congregation in singing for many years with her beautiful voice. She received an award from Our Lady of Lourdes for her dedication and untiring devotion for more than 50 years of service to the ministry of Liturgical Music and the Altar Society.

Wunky, as everyone called her, enjoyed cooking and was known for her home-cooked meals, especially her Saturday lunch of spaghetti and meatballs. She and her husband, Skip, welcomed many into their home and family. She made everyone feel special, which was evident by the number of people gathered on Sundays for dinner at their house. She will be greatly missed by her extended family and the Vidalia community.

Mrs. Martin was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John “Skippy” Martin; a son, Edward Butler Martin; son-in-law, Don Finley; a brother, Elbert Butler; and sister, “Pete” Bowlin.

She leaves to cherish her memory: four sons, Robert “Skip” Martin and wife, Mary, of Monroe, La., Johnny Martin Jr., Freddie Martin, and Joey Martin and wife, Kathy, all of Vidalia; two daughters, Bridgid Martin and Lisa Martin Finley, both of Vidalia; brothers, John Allen Butler and wife, Pat, of Vidalia, Richard “Dickie” Butler and wife, Gloria, of Natchez, Bruce Butler and wife, Diane, of Madison; sisters, Marion Peters of Sterling, Va., and Sr. Ann Marie Butler, DC of Evansville, Ind.; grandchildren, Aimee Martin Pfriemer and husband, Jeff, of Jonesboro, Ark., Jennifer Martin Cloutet and husband, Billy, of Blanchard, La., Jarred Martin of Vidalia, Ashley Dyer of Lafayette, La., and Jake Martin of Vidalia; great-grandchildren William Drew Cloutet IV of Blanchard and John Henry Pfriemer of Jonesboro, Ark; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Rudy Barraca, William “Billy” Cloutet III, Johnny Myers, Johnny Peters, Jeff Pfriemer and Michael Martin.

Serving as honorary pallbearers are C.A. Bowlin, Kenneth Darnell, francis Martin, Bill McDonough, Charles Partridge, Poncho Ramirez, Bill Murphy, and the Ladies Rosary Group of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Memorials may be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, P.O. Box 460, Vidalia, La., 71373.