Whitesell-Somers Family Web Project - Person Sheet
Whitesell-Somers Family Web Project - Person Sheet
DeathJan 26, 2025, Burlington, Alamance County, North Carolina261
BurialCremated2
FatherGarland Woodrow WAGONER Sr. (1911-1988)
MotherMildred Roseland HARROD (1916-2003)
Spouses
BurialBerea Christian Church, 2848 Old NC 87, Ossipee, Alamance County, North Carolina470
FatherLuther Dennis ROSS (1884-1935)
MotherLillian Francis FRANKS (1887-1983)
DeathApr 17, 2025, Burlington, Alamance County, North Carolina261
BurialAlamance Memorial Park, 4039 S Church St, Alamance County, North Carolina470
FatherThomas Onelis BECKOM (1897-1973)
MotherPearl Juanita SUTTON (1899-1979)
No Children
Obituary Online notes for Martha Gladys WAGONER
1/30/2025
Martha Gladys Wagoner Ross Beckom
February 2, 1936 ~ January 26, 2025 (age 88)
Martha Beckom, 88, of Burlington, passed away peacefully at Coble Creek Healthcare in the Twin Lakes Community on Sunday, January 26, 2025.
A native of Alamance County, she was the daughter of the late Garland W. and Mildred H. Wagoner.
Martha is survived by her husband, John D. Beckom, to whom she was married for 37 wonderful years.
Martha will be long remembered for her love and unwavering support of her family and friends. Martha was an interior decorator/designer during her career, as well as an amazing seamstress. From draperies to bedspreads and pillows, to making dresses and hemming pants or patching a rip in your jeans, Martha could do magic with a needle and thread for just about her entire life! Her legendary “chicken pie” was always a treat as well as her homemade “fruitcake” during the holiday season. Martha also loved gardening. Nurturing the soil to grow her favorite flowers and veggies in the garden each season always brought great joy to her.
Martha and John enjoyed entertaining family and friends and welcomed those that dropped by to just say hello. Martha loved to spend time with a challenging puzzle or playing cards with family and friends or participating in some hilarious game that created much laughter. Martha loved music, especially Christmas music. She was a soprano in the choir at Berea Christian Church for many years. Martha and John also enjoyed traveling. They had many adventures with their “travel group” friends and the thoughts of those trips always brought back fond memories. Martha and John spent many days traveling to watch family members participate in sporting events and recitals. Their trips with sister Lora and her husband Graham as well as adventures with their dearest friends Charles and Patsy Rumbley were memories that were revisited often. Martha also kept in close contact with childhood classmates from Elon as “the girls” would gather often to share a meal to catch up on what was going on in their lives. One of her dear classmates, Lee Thompson, always brightened her day when they had the opportunity to chat on the phone. A loving thank you to Patsy and Lee for your gracious friendship and faithfulness through Martha’s journey.
Martha was preceded in death by her first husband, Mac C. S. Ross, her sister, Lora Womack, and her brother, Johnny Wagoner.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by three children, daughters, Theresa Lilienthal (Rick) and Melinda Bradshaw, and son, Michael Ross (Terri), eight grandchildren, William Frederick “Rick” Riley, Jr. (Chelsea), Michelle R. Richards (Tyler), Manning Henry “Hank” Lilienthal III (Lindsey), Hannah Lilienthal (Chris), Beth McGuire (Todd), Amanda Shoop (David), Taylor R. Lewis (Bryan), and James Ross. Martha also had eleven great-grandchildren as well as two nieces and a nephew.
Martha’s faith journey began at Friedens Lutheran Church, she then attended Berea Christian Church, and she entered the pearly gates as a member of St. Mark’s Community Church. Reverend Bob Disher will preside over the service to celebrate Martha’s life in the May-Foley Chapel at Coble Creek Healthcare and Rehabilitation building at Twin Lakes Community on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The family with receive friends after the service in the Coble Room.
The family would like to express their most sincere thanks to all of those that had a hand in making Martha’s end of life journey full of love and compassion. To the staff at Coble Creek and especially the “Blue Ridge” neighborhood team of professionals a heartfelt thank you for ALL you did and shared with Martha. To the “Blue Ridge” team, you dedicated every day to make Martha comfortable and rest peacefully with a smile on her face.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial contributions being made to AuthoraCare https://www.authoracare.org/give/donate-online in honor of their support of Martha over the past eight months, to St. Mark’s Community Church https://www.smc.church/give, or to the organization of their choice.
https://www.richandthompson.com/notices/Martha-Beckom 261
Martha Gladys Wagoner Ross Beckom
February 2, 1936 ~ January 26, 2025 (age 88)
Martha Beckom, 88, of Burlington, passed away peacefully at Coble Creek Healthcare in the Twin Lakes Community on Sunday, January 26, 2025.
A native of Alamance County, she was the daughter of the late Garland W. and Mildred H. Wagoner.
Martha is survived by her husband, John D. Beckom, to whom she was married for 37 wonderful years.
Martha will be long remembered for her love and unwavering support of her family and friends. Martha was an interior decorator/designer during her career, as well as an amazing seamstress. From draperies to bedspreads and pillows, to making dresses and hemming pants or patching a rip in your jeans, Martha could do magic with a needle and thread for just about her entire life! Her legendary “chicken pie” was always a treat as well as her homemade “fruitcake” during the holiday season. Martha also loved gardening. Nurturing the soil to grow her favorite flowers and veggies in the garden each season always brought great joy to her.
Martha and John enjoyed entertaining family and friends and welcomed those that dropped by to just say hello. Martha loved to spend time with a challenging puzzle or playing cards with family and friends or participating in some hilarious game that created much laughter. Martha loved music, especially Christmas music. She was a soprano in the choir at Berea Christian Church for many years. Martha and John also enjoyed traveling. They had many adventures with their “travel group” friends and the thoughts of those trips always brought back fond memories. Martha and John spent many days traveling to watch family members participate in sporting events and recitals. Their trips with sister Lora and her husband Graham as well as adventures with their dearest friends Charles and Patsy Rumbley were memories that were revisited often. Martha also kept in close contact with childhood classmates from Elon as “the girls” would gather often to share a meal to catch up on what was going on in their lives. One of her dear classmates, Lee Thompson, always brightened her day when they had the opportunity to chat on the phone. A loving thank you to Patsy and Lee for your gracious friendship and faithfulness through Martha’s journey.
Martha was preceded in death by her first husband, Mac C. S. Ross, her sister, Lora Womack, and her brother, Johnny Wagoner.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by three children, daughters, Theresa Lilienthal (Rick) and Melinda Bradshaw, and son, Michael Ross (Terri), eight grandchildren, William Frederick “Rick” Riley, Jr. (Chelsea), Michelle R. Richards (Tyler), Manning Henry “Hank” Lilienthal III (Lindsey), Hannah Lilienthal (Chris), Beth McGuire (Todd), Amanda Shoop (David), Taylor R. Lewis (Bryan), and James Ross. Martha also had eleven great-grandchildren as well as two nieces and a nephew.
Martha’s faith journey began at Friedens Lutheran Church, she then attended Berea Christian Church, and she entered the pearly gates as a member of St. Mark’s Community Church. Reverend Bob Disher will preside over the service to celebrate Martha’s life in the May-Foley Chapel at Coble Creek Healthcare and Rehabilitation building at Twin Lakes Community on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The family with receive friends after the service in the Coble Room.
The family would like to express their most sincere thanks to all of those that had a hand in making Martha’s end of life journey full of love and compassion. To the staff at Coble Creek and especially the “Blue Ridge” neighborhood team of professionals a heartfelt thank you for ALL you did and shared with Martha. To the “Blue Ridge” team, you dedicated every day to make Martha comfortable and rest peacefully with a smile on her face.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial contributions being made to AuthoraCare https://www.authoracare.org/give/donate-online in honor of their support of Martha over the past eight months, to St. Mark’s Community Church https://www.smc.church/give, or to the organization of their choice.
https://www.richandthompson.com/notices/Martha-Beckom 261