Martha Rogers

Born in Ellsworth Kansas 4/20/1945 Preceded in death by her loving parents Rodger and Cecil Irene Lonberger Funk. Preceded in death also by half-brother Rodger Jr. and son Charles. Survived by son and caregiver, POA Franklin Franks II of Cabot Arkansas. Also survived by daughter Camille Irene Sockwell and her five children Erik Sockwell, Angelina Sockwell, Katherine ann Hedger Santana, Andrew Bamber and Joseph Sockwell. Great grandchildren by Erik and Amanda Sockwell Eden and Elysia of Port Charlotte Florida. Great grandchildren by Angelina and Chase: Jacob, Tyberius, Emma, Leelu who live in Munden Kansas. Katherine Hedger Santana two daughters Isabella and Kaylee Santana. Her Father was a plumber and service member, her mother raised her at home. Martha's favorite story of her mother was how she would catch rainwater in a bowl to wash Martha's hair with as a child. Her favorite story of her father was when he would pull over and tell Martha as a young child to "Just get out and scream" for a while.

Martha graduated from Delphos, Kansas, high school as salutatorian of her graduating class. She worked for the Delphos Co-op for 15 years as a check cashier for farmers. Her first job was for Fiesel's drug store where they doubled her hourly wage from 0.25 an hour to 0.50 an hour due to her hard work ethic. She told that story her entire life. Martha also worked as a bank teller and overnight at gas stations where she met Franklin Franks Sr. with whom she would have two sons Franklin Franks II and Charlie Rogers.

Charlie Rogers July 19th, 1985-December 2nd, 2016, had cerebral Parsley and Martha dutifully cared for him day in and day out for the majority of his life saying to everyone "Everyone has special needs" Martha spent day in and day out taking care of her son. Frank II seeing her loving devotion to Charlie motivated him to give her the same kind of care in her later years of life.

Martha was a devoted fan of Englebert Humperdink and Tom Jones. She would spend hours listening to their songs endlessly. She loved the Wizard of OZ and would watch it on repeat as if it were different each time. She loved watching the flowers grow in her family garden and feeding the birds. She was a baptized Methodist and attended church with her caregiver son Frank at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ and Cabot church of Christ where they had both become members. Martha believed in God and repeatedly said she wanted to die in her nest of comfort surround by her family photos knowing that her family was simply happy.

Martha lived with her son Frank Franks II from December 2nd, 2016, until her death. She loved eating ice cream and donuts and speaking to her son on the phone as he was at work and going for walks with him around their complex. She enjoyed seeing young children anywhere she went and always saw the extreme joys of life calling the joy of a child the example of happiness and earnestly sought that same happiness each day of her life.

Through her final years of life Martha lived with son Frank as her caregiver, POA and during those years they had countless adventures. She went to church weekly, praising the Lord and attending Harding University annual lectureship series. They also went to comi con every year where they would cosplay together and meet celebrities and decorate her wheelchair. Martha loved going out to eat because it meant spending time together with her son. They would go to David's burgers (her favorite which she would often invite out of state family to join at) and Morrinos and countless other restaurants. She would go on wheelchair walks around the village square apartment complex and up and down the statue garden along the river walk. She would hold Frank's hand during long drives and would repeatedly say "Precious love, precious love, happy and healthy are we" no matter how difficult and dark things got. In the hospital, in the ER, in health crises, during her final days she would say the same phrase through shortness of breath, elevated BP and HR when things were the hardest for her, she fought with all of her heart for happiness and health. Her heart gave out not because of time but due to the amazing amount by which she loved. She refused to complain of pain and was adamant about how she wanted her final days to be. Her nest of comfort was more than a physical place, it was with how she viewed happiness and health. She knew her grandchildren were living lives and in spite of difficulties she believed they were finding happiness and health no matter how bad life may have seemed. She refused to entertain the idea that things were anything other than "happy and healthy" and "precious" and "loved" her son strove to give that life to her as long as possible.

Martha was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and left behind much more than only herself. She left behind her son Frank who cares daily for the elderly and will continue to do so in her honor knowing that we never get enough time with the ones we love, and grief is only the love you feel and the exemplary example of how no one is ever entirely gone. Time is fleeting and the grief will abide until the day we ourselves also pass. Grief is carrying all the love we had for Martha and the heavy weight of it shows the volumes and depths of it.

Martha is in heaven with the Lord Christ singing her song and it is a precious, beautiful, happy, and healthy song that will echo the chambers eternally of the throne room of God and the chambers of our hearts. Her favorite Psalm was Psalm 1, the righteous man planted like a tree, she is not buried, she is planted, and her branches have and will continue to grow covering over her loved ones who continue on. As Englebert Humperdink sang, " I will love you with every beat of my heart."

A Celebration of Life will be conducted on July 12th, at 10:00 A.M. at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ (10900 N Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, AR, 72212).