Obituary of Nancy Jo Ann Cathcart Martin

On Friday, January 14th, 2022, Nancy Jo Ann Cathcart Martin, a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, and friend passed away peacefully in her home at age 74. Nancy Jo Ann Cathcart was born to Sam and Grace Cathcart at their home in Enoree, South Carolina on February 28th of 1947. She was the eldest child of her two siblings, James Larry (Jim) Cathcart and Judy Cathcart Calvart. She graduated from Woodruff High School in 1965. Later that year, she married William B. Martin (Billy) on October 25th. She gave birth to their only son, and the light of her life, William B. Martin Jr. (Bill) on June 28th of 1966. She worked many years in the field of insurance, serving both State Farm Insurance in Laurens and O’Donnell-Lefort-Dobbins in Raleigh. She was also a licensed real estate agent. She was later employed by Caterpillar and worked diligently until retirement. Her desire to serve her community led her to Laurens 55 District School System, where she worked as both a food service assistant and a custodian. Jo Ann was a devout Christian and dedicated disciple of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, reading and sharing devotionals each day. She admired God’s creation and spent her free time bird watching, caring for the animals on her property, and traveling with her friends and family. Additionally, she was an avid reader and delighted in expanding her knowledge of many different topics. Above all, she cherished time spent alongside her friends and family. She never missed an opportunity to celebrate those she loved and especially enjoyed bragging on her son, his wife, and her grandchildren and their accomplishments, no matter how big or small. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Grace Cathcart, her husband, William B. Martin, her brother-in-law, Ridgeway Martin, and her sister-in-law, Zenobia Jean Martin Harrison. She is survived by her son, William B. Martin Jr., his wife, Pam Martin, her granddaughters, Carly and Maddie Martin, her brother, Larry James (Jim) Cathcart, and his wife, Joyce Cathcart, her sister, Judy Cathcart Calvart and her husband, Aulbrey Calvart, her brother-in-law, Zeno Harrison, her sister-in-law, Nancy Martin, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews, whom she loved dearly. A service to celebrate her life will be held on Thursday, January 20th, 2022 at Rabun Creek Baptist Church at 3:00 pm, and prior, a visitation for family and close friends will be held at 2:00 pm, also at Rabun Creek Baptist Church.