Joy Martin Whitaker

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Nov. 2, 1925 – May 22, 2017

WOODVILLE — Services for Joy Martin Whitaker, 91, of Woodville, who died Monday, May 22, 2017, at West Feliciana Parish Hospital in St. Francisville, La., will be 2 p.m. today at Woodville United Methodist Church with the Rev. Gerald Martin, the Rev. Warren Whitaker and the Rev. Warren Whitaker II officiating.

Burial will follow at Magnolia Plantation Cemetery under the direction of Newman Funeral Home .

Visitation will be from noon until service time today at the church.

Mrs. Whitaker was born Nov. 2, 1925, in Baton Rouge, the daughter of Joseph Clarence Martin and Florence Lucille Spillman Martin.

She was a member of Woodville United Methodist Church. She was also graduated from St. Francisville High School as valedictorian of her class and was a cheerleader in 1943. Since she was only 17, she had to sit out a year before she attended nursing school. She graduated as a registered nurse at General Hospital in Baton Rouge in 1947.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Tommie Whitaker; one son, Tommie Whitaker Jr.; one daughter, Joy Illiene Bailey; one brother, J.C. Martin; and two sisters, Mildred Martin and Mickey Martin.

Survivors include two daughters, Clairena Whitaker Stanton and husband, Robert Q., of Dallas, and Mary Whitaker McKey and husband, Greg, of Woodville; four sons, Warren Whitaker and wife, Mona, Eli Whitaker and wife, Janet, and Joe Whitaker and wife, Linda, all of Woodville, and Dr. Dick Whitaker and wife, Cheryl, of Natchez; four sisters, Clara Martin and Vera Slingluff, both of Wakefield, La., Joan Montgomery of Stone Mountain, Ga., and Julia Vasholz  of Augusta, Ga.; two brothers, Howard Martin of Baker, La., and Gerald Martin of Denham Springs, La.; 25 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fort Adams Baptist Church Scripture Memory Camp Fund.