Martha Evelyn Wilkinson, 69, of Rusk, left this life to be with Jesus on April 5th, 2014, from MD Anderson in Houston. Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 9th at 10 am at Gallatin Missionary Baptist Church. The family visitation will also be at Gallatin MBC, on Tuesday evening, April 8th, from 6-8 pm. Graveside services will be at Lowes Chapel Cemetery on Bagley road near Rusk.

Born on February 10, 1945, near Rusk, Martha was the youngest daughter of William C. (Bill) Hancock and Verna Lou McKnight. She married C. Gregory (Greg) Wilkinson, of Rusk, but formerly of Livingston, in 1961, and they moved to Houston. They raised two daughters, Beverly and Brenda, in Houston, Huntsville and Rusk. In 1980, Martha graduated Cum Laude from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

Moving back to Rusk in 1981, she worked as a legal secretary in Rusk and Jacksonville, and for many years in the accounting department of Rusk State Hospital, from which she eventually retired in 2004. Martha enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, reading, canning, cooking and a weekly "Mema and Pepa night" with her seven cherished grandchildren. She was a member of Memorial Missionary Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday School and assisted the pastor, Don Copeland, with the church bulletin for years; and in more recent years, she was a member of Gallatin Missionary Baptist Church.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Billy Jack Hancock and Henry Hancock; sister, Sarah Grace Price; stepbrothers, Leonard and Harvey Hancock; stepsisters, Edna Dickson and Arnella Jones; grandson, Caleb Parsons and granddaughter, Kara Evelyn Parsons.

She is survived by her husband of 52 years, C. Greg Wilkinson; great-aunt, Marie May of Rusk; sister, Mary Lou West of Arkansas; brother, Coy Hancock of Dallas; daughters and sons-in-law, Beverly and Robin Parsons of Gallatin and Brenda and John Thigpen of Rusk; granddaughters and husbands, Kathryn and Joe Jones of Timpson, Kristen and Kody Killion of Rusk, Sarah and Joshua Rutherford of Clarksville, Tennessee, and Samantha Jo Rempfer of Rusk; grandsons, Joshua Parsons of Gallatin, Greg Rempfer of Clarksville, TN, and Anthony Thigpen of Jacksonville; great-grandchildren, Klaira Grace Jones and Kayleigh Jo Jones of Timpson. She is also survived by sister-in-law and dear friend, Wanda Williams; sister-in-law and husband, Sue and Ernie Rush of Kingwood; sister-in-law, Shirley Wilkinson of Corrigan; and many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be grandsons Joshua Parsons, Gallatin; Greg Rempfer, Clarksville, TN; Joe Jones, Timpson; Kody Killion, Rusk, Anthony Thigpen, Jacksonville, and Joshua Rutherford, Clarksville,TN; and nephews: Quinn Alexander of Kingwood, Cody Evans of Beaumont, Kevin Hall of Kingsland, Billy Shane Wilkinson, Corrigan, and Lesly Wilkinson, Corrigan; and also Roy Wilkinson of Rusk, and Mychal Parker of Chandler.

Cochran Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Please sign our online guestbook at www.cochranfh.com