Martha Sue Branham's Obituary
Martha Branham-Willis passed from her life on this earth into life everlasting with her Lord and a host of the beloved on December 31st, 2025, at the age of 94. Martha was a resident of Dallas for 70 years, having moved to Texas with her husband, Hoke Austin Branham, in 1955.
Martha loved to sing. It was her joy in life. Music was her passion. Her gift belonged to God, her soul, Christ Jesus, her commitment, His message. As for her heart, Martha’s love of family and lifelong friends was boundless. She was a rare, rich mix of tenderness and strength with compassion, resolve and remarkable resilience.
Martha Sue was the youngest of six children born to James Lemuel and Clarice King Standridge in Dustin, Oklahoma. She adored her four sisters, Opal, Hazel, Geraldine and Nelva. Her only brother, James Dallas, was a bit of a character, but she adored him too. From the humblest of beginnings, Martha made her life a rich and fulfilling experience doing what she loved.
While earning her B.M.E. on full scholarship at Oklahoma Baptist University, Martha performed throughout the state for public relations recruitment. Subsequent to graduation, she accepted more and more invitations to sing in church revivals, evangelistic meetings and conferences of the Southern Baptist Convention. Her career was marked with soprano roles in many oratorios, countless sacred concerts, and appearances on nationwide television as well as radio. She recorded 7 albums.
Despite an incredible body of work too extensive for mention herein, certain honors and highlights must be noted. Martha was named Outstanding Alumna in the Field of Music by the Alliance of Faculty Women in 1964. She was listed in the 1965 edition of Personalities of the South and in the 1975 edition of Who's Who in Religion. She was asked to sing for the Southern Baptist Convention seven successive years and sang for the Southern Baptist Pastor's Conference as well. In 1961, Martha was soloist for the Billy Graham Crusade in Miami, Florida. She toured Japan as gospel soloist for the Southern Baptist New Life Movement in 1963. She was sent on an extensive concert tour in the Caribbean Islands by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board in 1969. Martha was presented twice in concert in her beloved Jerusalem, Israel. In 1978, she was the featured soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah at Stratford-on-Avon, England and sang for the European Baptist Convention in Vienna, Austria. Martha was guest soloist at the Presidential Prayer Breakfast for the Republican National Convention of 1984. One of her most remarkable performances was in 1997, singing "Summertime" from Gershwin’s opera Porgy & Bess at the Meyerson Symphony Center of Dallas. As the saying goes, all roads lead back home and what Martha treasured most was her privilege to sing with the Sanctuary Choir of the First Baptist Church where she knew and loved so many for 65 years.
As if her career in music wasn't demanding enough to fill her time, Martha entered the field of real estate in 1978. She achieved the status of Million-Dollar Producer in record time. Still and always, Martha loved to sing for Jesus Christ, her Lord, more than anything else on earth. Now, she sings with the angels.
Martha lost her husband, Hoke, just one year short of their 50th anniversary. His passing broke her heart, but their children, Rebecca Sue (Beki Brand) and Stephen Hoke remained her life’s breath. Despite the years of travel, performance and demand, Martha was a mother first. She was devoted to all within a large extended family and cared deeply for each one. Her nieces Jacqueline, Nancy and Julie were like daughters with a very special place in her heart. Late in life, Martha was blessed with two “bonus daughters”, Patty Edwards and Elaine McInturff, from her subsequent marriage to longtime friend and member of the church, W. Dean Willis. She embraced their children too with deep affection. Martha cherished beyond measure her grandchildren, Jonathan (Tiffany) Thomas, Kelee Alley, Marlena (David) Lewis and Michael (Amanda) Branham, as well as great-grandchildren Devin, Arthur and Luke Alley, Alena and Katie Branham and William and Aidan Thomas.
Services will by held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 7th, in Lovvorn Hall of the First Baptist Church of Dallas with the pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress officiating. Burial follows at Restland Cemetery, 9220 Restland Road, Dallas.
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