Obituary of Martha Sue Fagan

Viola Martha Sue Fagan passed away peacefully on September 26, 2019 at age 89. She was born Viola Martha Sue McDonald on August 15, 1930 in Thayer, MO. Her parents were James Dorris and Pearl Irene Martin McDonald. Throughout her life she had a passion for teaching. She began her teaching career at the age of 16 at a two room school, Liberty, in Missouri, then Gatewood and Couch before moving to St. Louis. She retired after 32 years of public school teaching from Hazelwood School District before she was 50. Throughout her life she made many wonderful friendships due to her personality, giving heart, and lifelong passion for helping others.

She earned her BSE from Arkansas State University, her MSE from Illinois State University, and continued her education at Missouri University and Webster College. Following retirement and needing something more fulfilling than tending cattle, she joined the Paint and Palette Club. She took private lessons, studied classic painters' books, information from museums and decided if anyone wanted to know what she had learned she would teach them. Her first student was Carolyn Craft. She taught young and old from her studio. She used all mediums, with a preference for oil paints. She sold, kept many, and gave her paintings as gifts. For several years Sue and Lawrence bred and raced thoroughbred and quarter horses. She loved the adventure, excitement, and the travel that included. She served eighteen months on the first Federal Grand Jury in South East Missouri in Cape Girardeau which she considered a huge learning experience. She loved learning about everything from gardening to taking piano lessons and wanted to take flying lessons. She was also heavily involved in Genealogy and shared that with family and friends. She attended Pilgrims Rest Church in Fairdealing, MO. She married Lawrence C. Fagan in 1951 in a double ring ceremony with Norman and Marjorie Stone.

Martha Sue was preceded in death by her husband (Lawrence), parents (James Dorris and Pearl), step mother (Jennie Genevieve), brother (Joe), and step brother (Ralph).

She is survived by her daughter, Lavah Suzanne Hetzel (Robert) from Naples, FL, granddaughter Sarah Ashley Martin (Marcelo), and granddaughters, Cameron Ashley Martin and Lilyana Ashley Martin from Lake Worth Beach, FL., half sister, Ann Melton (Winfred), half brother, Tom McDonald (Janet), and step brothers, James McDowell (Janice) and David McDowell (Ella Beth), sister-in-law, Alice McDonald, nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Visitation will begin on Friday, October 4 at 10:00 at Edwards Funeral Home with the funeral service following At 11:00. A private burial will be at the Liberty Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Liberty Freewill Baptist Church in Gatewood, Missouri.