Frances Elizabeth Clarke Martin - Monday, April 8, 2013

Frances Elizabeth Clarke Martin, daughter of the deceased Harry Powell Clarke and Margaret Hammett Clarke, widow of Henry G. Martin Jr., grandmother to the deceased Gary Schraibman, and the last of seven Clarke sisters, was a resident of Brentwood, Tennessee, for the past few years, where she passed away April 8, 2013.  Known by most as Frankie, she was born in SC and lived there most of her life.

She is survived by her five children: Jane Smith of Columbia, SC, Hank (Linda) Martin of Nolensville, TN, Mary (Paul) Van Hoesen of Nashville, TN, Anne (Ronnie) Galloway of Sumter, SC, and Dale (Freddy) Richardson of Murfreesboro, TN, ten grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

For over sixty years Frankie was an active member of First Presbyterian (Bishopville), First Presbyterian (Sumter), and St. James Lutheran Church (Sumter), respectively.  She served as choir member and soloist, as a Sunday school teacher, and in the Women’s Circle.  She served on the board of directors for Sumter Little Theatre and starred in many musical productions. Frankie was a member and soloist of the Sumter Civic Chorale, patron of the Sumter SPCA, dedicated volunteer for United Ministries of Sumter County, past president of Women’s Afternoon Music Club, past president of Ladies Golf Association at Sunset Country Club, and an active member of multiple bridge clubs and garden clubs in Bishopville and Sumter.  Accompanied by her husband, Henry, Frankie sang for hundreds of weddings, funerals, and community events in Sumter, Bishopville, and throughout the state of SC.  She loved and devoted her life to Jesus, her family and friends.  Frankie will be remembered for her Southern hospitality, her optimistic view of life, her poetry, quick wit and humorous musical parodies, and the life of love she lived.

A memorial service will be held at St. James Lutheran Church, 1137 Alice Drive, Sumter, SC, on Saturday, May 4, at 11 am.

Memorials may be made to United Ministries of Sumter County, PO Box 1017, Sumter, SC 29151, or to the Gary Schraibman Memorial Foundation, c/o Central Carolina Community Foundation, 2711 Middleburg Drive, Suite 213, Columbia SC 29204.

Following the memorial service, the family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall.
“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:  ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’” (Proverbs 31:28, 29)

On-line condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com

Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad Street, Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386.