Martha Louise Hansard Roach, age 78, transitioned to comfort peacefully and surrounded by her husband and daughters right before the sun set on December 31, 2023. Martha was born in Knoxville, TN, on September 10, 1945 to the late Dr. Samuel Leroy Hansard and the late Erma Mae Brobeck Hansard of rural Hardin Valley, TN.
Martha is survived by her husband of 56 years, John Keller Roach, and her daughters, Sharon Roach Ely of Rogersville, TN, Elaine Christina Hill of Cornelius, NC, Laura Catherine Roach Eastburn and her husband, Scott Wayne Roach Eastburn of Pisgah Forest, NC. Her family was her joy and delight and thus the focus of many of her prayers. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Jessica Renea Foshee, Joseph Ford Ely and wife, Jessica Lenore Ely, Zoella Cathryn Ely, and great-grandchild Skyla Rose Perry, grandchildren Giovanni Dominic Bonanno, William Keller Ely, Samuel Leroy Ely, Madeline Grace Ely, the late Robert Ely, Ross Emile Ely, Kate Sierra Hill and Josie Louise Hill, and Lincoln Keller Eastburn and Ezra Clayton Eastburn. Martha’s brother, Dr. Samuel Leroy Hansard II, and his wife, Sharon Grubb Hansard, and her sister, Peggy Lynn Evans, survive her as well.
Martha spent her younger years in Hardin Valley, TN, back when Hardin Valley was for country folk, catching crawdads in the creek and attending Marietta Cumberland Presbyterian Church, where Martha gave her life to Christ. Martha’s family moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she was named the Yambilee Queen of Louisiana before she came back to attend undergraduate at University of Tennessee, where she was an active member of Phi Mu and earned the highest honor of Torchbearer for the University. It was at UT that she was introduced to John through Martha’s brother, Sam, who was in the Circle K (Kiwanis) Club with John. Martha planned their wedding while she started her Master’s in Public Health Nutrition at University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
After graduation, Martha and John took jobs in South Carolina, Martha entering public health for her career. Martha followed John through many transfers for his job, from South Carolina to Texas to South Carolina to Delaware to Waynesboro, Virginia, to Richmond, Virginia, to Delaware to Brevard, North Carolina, all while raising a family, teaching nutrition, and finding a place to serve in every church they attended.
Known as wife, mother to all, Grandma, and prayer warrior, Martha’s strength and faith were evidenced in the ways she treated everyone with a gentle kindness from an incessant prayer life, brought delight with her infectious smile and laugh, and created home for anyone who needed one. Her faith carried her through almost incessant health challenges in the later part of her life, praising her Jesus with her hands raised literally until her final days under the exceptionally kind care of medical practitioners at Prisma Memorial Hospital in Greenville, SC, and Elizabeth House in Flat Rock, NC.
Visitation with the family will be at the graveside interment on Thursday, January 4th, at 2pm at Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory in the Prayer Garden, 994 Hendersonville Hwy, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768, as well as on Saturday, January 6th at the First Baptist Church- Hendersonville, 312 5th Ave W, Hendersonville, NC 28739, from noon until the Celebration of Martha’s Life at 2pm. We will offer a graveside gathering at 4pm on Saturday, January 6th, to offer prayers and praises. Those attending are encouraged to wear something blue, as this was Martha’s favorite color.
Flowers may be sent to Jackson Funeral Service at 1101 Greenville Hwy, Hendersonville, NC 28792 for the graveside or the church celebrations. Gifts of flower bulbs to plant in Martha’s honor are welcome for the family. Memorials in Martha’s honor may be made to First Baptist Church- Hendersonville, NC, or your local church or charity of choice.