Martha Wood Bozeman of Columbus, Mississippi

January 26, 1922 - October 11, 2021

Martha Bozeman Obituary

January 26, 1922 – October 11, 2021

Martha Wood Bozeman, age 99, of Columbus died peacefully Monday, October 11, 2021, at Trinity Personal Care.  Visitation will be held at 1:30pm on Monday, October 18, 2021, followed by a celebration of life service at 3:00pm at First Baptist Church in Columbus, MS with Dr. Shawn Parker and Kevin Cuthbertson officiating. Burial will follow at Friendship Cemetery.

Martha Bozeman was born Martha Whaley Wood on January 26, 1922, in Andalusia, Alabama to Dr. Gordon L. and Ella Mae Whaley Wood.  She attended school there, graduating in 1940 as Valedictorian of her class and subsequently attended Alabama State College for Women in Montevallo, receiving a BS degree with honors in Home Economics. Upon graduation she was hired by the Alabama Extension Service as assistant Home Agent in Calhoun County, Anniston, Alabama. She worked there until November of 1945, when she left to marry her high school sweetheart, Dr. Edward Clarke Bozeman.  They moved to Columbus in November of 1945, where he established a practice of veterinary medicine.

With no vacancies in Lowndes County in the field of home economics at that time, and with her background of science courses, she was hired in the fall of 1946 as a teacher of all science courses at New Hope High School for grades seven through twelve.  The following summer she became a home economist for Mauldin Appliances until she became a mother in 1948, when her son Edward Clarke Bozeman, Jr., was born.  In 1951 another son, Kenneth Wood Bozeman, was born, completing their family.

Upon their arrival in Columbus in 1945, Dr. and Mrs. Bozeman joined the First Baptist Church and were active members ever since. While her sons were young, she worked with numerous children’s and youth groups such as GA’s and RA’s.  She also served as Director of Young People’s Sunday School and Young Married Couples Sunday School.  Martha also served as the Director of Baptist Young Women and later as WMU Director. She was also a member of the Adult Sanctuary Choir for 40 years.

When the church voted to build the Miracle Building, she and Joanne Platt were asked to be in charge of feeding all the workers the noon meal until the completion of the building.  What a rewarding experience this was for her.  Martha was active in community projects such as Life Member of Columbus Junior Auxiliary, the restoration of Lee Park project, Cherokee Garden Club, and was the floral arranger for several Pilgrimage homes and numerous weddings.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Gordon L. Wood and Ella Mae Whaley Wood, her stepmother, Ouida Norton Wood, brothers Gordon E. Wood and Samuel B. Wood, sister Helen Wood Browder, and her husband of sixty-six years, Dr. Edward Clarke Bozeman.  Survivors include Dr. Edward Clarke Bozeman, Jr. (Martha), Kenneth Wood Bozeman (Joanne), and grandchildren: Dr. Carrington Bozeman Grant (Justin), Catherine Bozeman Thoms (Kirk), Edward Clarke Bozeman, III (Susan Ashley), Jessica Bozeman Hronchek (Dan), Jeffrey Bozeman (Dr. Christine Ding), and Christopher Bozeman; and ten great grandchildren:  Walker and Wyatt Grant; Field and Wells Thoms; Josephine and Esther Bozeman; Isaac, Nathan and Julie Hronchek; and Stellan Bozeman.

Serving as Pallbearers are: Jeffrey Bozeman, Clarke Bozeman, Christopher Bozeman, Justin Grant, Kirk Thoms and Dan Hronchek.

Honorary Pallbearers are:  Adrine Younger Bishop, Bill Brigham, Sam Ford, Bunk Harpole, Dr. Bob Howland, Dr. Andy Johnson, Steve McEwen, Larry and Dale Rainey, David Shelton, Bobby Smart, Dr. Jerry Stennett, Dr. Doyle Sumrall, Bill Taylor, Dave Taylor, Mike Waters, Chuck Younger, the Staff at Trinity Personal Care and Encompass Health-Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to any of the following:

At First Baptist Church of Columbus, please designate to Love InDeed, Lottie Moon International Missions, or IMPACT Building Campaign. Mail to P.O. Box 829, Columbus, MS 39703

At Trinity Personal Care, 250 Airline Road, Columbus, MS 39702, please designate to “Sunday Fund”