Martha Ann Sitton

February 14, 1932 - January 3, 2023
Martha Ann Sitton

Gifts & Memorial Donations

Martha Ann Sitton of Hendersonville, NC, died at Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville on January 3, 2023, after a brief illness. She was 90 years old. 

Martha was born in Asheville, NC, on February 14, 1932, the third daughter of Elbert Harold and Mattie Mae (McFarland) Whitesides. A tiny Valentine weighing in at 2 pounds, she possessed a fighting spirit that carried her through her life.

After graduating from Hendersonville High School in 1950, she bought a car, learned to drive, and commuted to Asheville, where she attended Beauty School and became a licensed cosmetologist. Even after she left paid employment to become a stay-at-home mother, her sisters, mother, husband, and daughters depend on her for haircuts, styles, and home permanents.

On October 12, 1956, Martha married Jim Sitton of Hendersonville. Soon, they were the proud parents of Synthia and Kimberly. From then on, she channeled her boundless energy and intelligence toward the endless tasks involved in running a home. From morning to night, she was busy cooking and cleaning. But she also used her creativity to sew designer coats and dresses for her girls. She always encouraged them to use their creativity. When paint or glitter ended up in the wrong place, she patiently cleaned up the mess. 

Always up for a challenge, she sewed curtains, slipcovers, and Halloween costumes. She and her husband, Jim, had a “side gig” doing upholstery and sewing canvas goods. She eventually started a craft business with her daughter Synthia. They were part of the Hendersonville Crafters Guild for ten years.

From an early age, she loved books and learning. One of her greatest joys in life was reading to her girls. There was almost always a book in her hand or one nearby. Attending Storytime at the Public Library and then checking out a new stack of books to read at home was a regular part of the family routine. The love of reading was the greatest gift she gave Synthia and Kimberly.

She is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Jim Sitton, her daughter Synthia Sitton of Hendersonville, her daughter Kimberly Schramm of Nashville, TN and her brother, Ernest Whitesides of Sherman TX. Martha was preceded in death by her father, her mother, her sisters Vera Lockaby Crane, Peggy Clayton, Linda Kay Gussman, and brothers E. Harold Whitesides, Jr, and Jerry Whitesides. 

Martha was a member of the First Baptist Church of Hendersonville. Her memorial service will be held there at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. There will be a visitation at 1:00 pm, immediately preceding the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Leukemia Research Foundation, 191 Waukegan Rd, Ste. 105, Northfield, IL 60093.


Memorial Service

Tuesday, January 10, 2023
2:00 PM

First Baptist Church of Hendersonville - Directions
312 5th Avenue West
Hendersonville, NC 28739

Visiting Hours

First Baptist Church of Hendersonville

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