Mrs Martha Sue Eakins' Obituary
Our beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great-grandmother, Martha “Sue” Eakins (Gaffney), went home to be with our Lord on November 17, 2020 in Greenville, TX. She was born on May 7, 1938 in Bossier City, LA to John Campbell Gaffney and Bessie Estelle Gaffney (Hargrove) and is preceded in death by her parents, her brother Jack A. Gaffney, sister-in-law Mary L. Gaffney (Alviani), her brother Harry Q. Gaffney, sister-in-law Joan Gaffney (Drew), nephew Jack Kevin Gaffney, and grandson William Gregory Eakins.
When Sue was a teenager, her family moved to Canoga Park, CA, where she attended Burbank High School and graduated in 1956. While working as a teller, she met Horace Samuel Eakins III, whom she married in 1959. The couple then moved to Omaha, NE where Sue fulfilled her lifelong dream of being a mother and homemaker. Both of her children were born in Omaha before the family moved back to southern California in early 1964. The family moved again in 1969 to Texas, where she continued homemaking, but worked occasionally. In 1975 she started working full time at Nortex, a plant nursery in Wylie, TX, where she quickly found a love in caring for plants. Sue also worked at Extruders Inc, also in Wylie, and retired in 1995. During retirement, she once again assumed the role of homemaker, helping with her grandchildren and being an integral part of each of their lives. She traveled occasionally with friends, and loved family gatherings more than anything.
Sue became active in The Girl Scouts during the 1970’s and was a remarkable Leader. She quickly grew very knowledgeable about nature and the Girl Scout Way, and enjoyed teaching this to others. Whether it was a new song or how to build a ceremonial campfire, she had so much to share and loved every minute. She continued scouting until the birth of her first grandchild in 1984, but couldn’t stay away long, returning to scouting with the grandbaby in tow, teaching songs, camping and hiking.
Sue is survived by her children, Gregory Lance Eakins and Rebecca (Russom) of Nevada, TX, Maria Gailynn (Eakins) and Rusty Norris of Quitman, TX, grandchildren Nikki Eakins and Kellen Clifton of Garland, TX, Patrick and Mercy (Sherrod) Heimstra of Quinlan, TX, James and Melody (Janson) Burnitt of Plain Dealing, LA, Elizabeth (Burnitt) and Steve Hebert of Hackberry, LA, Sarah (Burnitt) and Sam Garrett of Austin, TX and Brian and Lexi (Miranda) Crawford of Yuma, AZ, great-grandchildren Eowyn Rose Burnitt, Alethia Mae Burnitt, Madison Crawford, Timothy Sherrod, Lindy Lou Sherrod, Drake Allan Hebert and Braden Michael Garrett.
Sue touched so many lives throughout her 82 plus years, and she will be deeply missed by all her family, extended family, and friends.
Sue will be cremated and interred at Restland in Dallas, TX. Due to the COVID pandemic, her memorial is postponed to a date not yet determined.
What’s your fondest memory of Martha?
What’s a lesson you learned from Martha?
Share a story where Martha's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Martha you’ll never forget.
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