Martha Mae Van Dyke

Martha Mae Van Dyke, of Groesbeck (Davis Prairie), passed away at Groesbeck LTC on Tuesday, August 27, 2019, at age 85.

Visitation with the family will be held at Groesbeck Funeral Home, beginning at 9:00 A.M., prior to the services on Saturday.

A Memorial service will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, August 31, 2019 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Chaplain Jon Honea officiating.  

Pallbearers will be J.D. Van Dyke, III, Jon David King, Jr., Joe Gomez, Brandon Truett, Tyler Doherty, Chester Reeves, and Greg Doherty.

Martha was born July 29, 1934 to Finis and Madeline (Dawley) Reeves, one of five children.

Martha was united in marriage with J. D. Van Dyke Sr. on January 2, 1951 at the Courthouse in Groesbeck, and they moved to Houston where they lived the next twelve years.  Martha was a homemaker while J.D. worked as a builder.

The family moved back to Limestone County, making their home at Davis Prairie. 

Martha was a stay at home mom who enjoyed canning fruits and vegetables they raised on their farm.  She loved to read, sew blankets and clothing, and painting mountain landscapes with great attention to detail.  Above all, she loved her family and was dedicated to helping them in anyway she could.  Sometimes this included opening gates to feed the cows or other farm related tasks in less than ideal weather which she seldom complained, maybe the word seldom is a little generous.

Martha treasured a good shopping trip with her daughter; those Saturday morning excursions would last well into the evening.  In later years with her eyesight failing, she passed many hours listening to books on tape and especially enjoyed a good mystery story.  Trips to Gayle Pennington’s beauty shop were among the highlights of her week.  She was a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, affectionately known as “Grandma” to all that loved her.

Martha was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, J.D. Van Dyke Sr.; her parents, Finis and Madeline Reeves; and brother, Snowball Reeves.

She is survived by her son, Jay Dee Van Dyke, Jr. of Groesbeck; daughter and son-in-law, Ladena and Jon D. King, Sr. of Groesbeck;  brother, Chester Reeves of Groesbeck; sister, Jane Yarbrough of Groesbeck; and sister, Jeanette Cox of Old Union.  She leaves eight grandchildren and their families:  Jon David King, Jr. and wife Robin King and their children Jackson King and Ryder King; DeeAnn Doherty and husband Greg Doherty and their children, Tyler Doherty and Tabitha Doherty; Jessica Gomez and husband Joe Gomez and their children, Trey Gomez and Teagan Gomez; Courtney Truett and husband Brandon Truett and their children, Colson Truett, Corbin Truett, and Blakely Truett; Morgan Van Dyke; J.D. Van Dyke III (Jake) and wife Sierra Van Dyke; Maggie Van Dyke; and Jamie Hardin and husband Bobby Hardin and their daughter, Maggie Mae Hardin.