Rethal Mae Martin

Celebration of Rethal Mae Martin's (Little Mama) life at Henry-Cochran Funeral Home, Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at 1:00 pm. She was known as "Little Mama" to all her friends.

Little Mama was born May 5, 1931 in Fannin County, Georgia to loving christian parents. She had nine brothers and sisters that have all gone on before her. She loved to sing in church and started singing at five years old. She grew up and met Olan Martin and they both got saved at Cherry Log Baptist Church in 1952. In three months they married on July 6, 1952 and moved to Cleveland, OH where their daughter Joy was born in 1953. Two years later, they moved to Mobile, AL where their son Rex Martin was born in 1959. They moved back to Georgia in 1966 and they lost their son in a car wreck in 1990. She had two grandsons, Scott Sharpe and Monteville Rex Martin, three great-grandchildren, Keegan Sharpe, Chloe Sharp, and River Martin. Her husband, Olan passed away in 1999, after sharing 47 wonderful years together.

Little Mama loved her family but she loved her sweet Jesus most of all. She loved to go to gospel singings and to her church where she attended City of Praise in Cartersville, GA. She loved everyone there especially her Pastors Jeff and Marie Phillips. She sang at many churches all over GA, but she loved to visit Trinity Faith Church in Mobile, AL. Little Mama also sang with the Gospel Bluegrass Association where she would sing on the riverboat in Chattanooga, TN and Helen, GA. They honored her with an award and trophy for singing for over 80 years for the Lord Jesus Christ. They made her an honorary member and inducted her into the hall of fame.

Little Mama enjoyed traveling with her daughter Joy to many places; Disney World, The Holy Land experience, Branson, Missouri, The Grand Ole Opry, and to Elvis' Mansion in Graceland three times, but her favorite place to go was to Jimmy Swaggart's Church in Baton Rouge, LA. Joy had taken her twelve times and she was looking forward to being there for her 88th birthday, but God had other plans. He needed a precious singing angel to sing in that Heavenly choir. She passed away at Memorial Hospital in Gulf Port, Mississippi on May 9th, 2019. Her daughter Joy would take her to lots of beautiful places and Little Mama would say there is a lot of beauty for the eye to see but nothing compares to what Heaven will be.

She would sing and tell everyone about her sweet Jesus. She wanted everyone to know her sweet Jesus and to meet her in Heaven. Little Mama would sing her favorite song "The Ladder Song" to everyone and now she has climbed that ladder up to Heaven and now she is where she has always looked forward to going, to see her sweet Jesus and to be with him forever.

Her services were officiated by Rev. Sanford Lawrence, Rev. Shannon Knight, and Rev Marie Phillips. The gentlemen that served as Pallbearers were, Keegan Sharpe, Levi Green, Mathew Lillard, Billy Nealey, Rodney Deese, and Shannon Knight.

Little Mama was laid to rest between her husband and son at Maggies Chapel Cemetery in Martins Creek, NC on May 14, 2019.

Arrangements entrusted to the Henry-Cochran Funeral Home of Blue Ridge, GA. You may send condolences to the family and sign the guest register at www.cochranfuneralhomes.com.