Martha Foss

Martha Jean Rabun Foss

Avera, GA --  Martha Jean Rabun Foss, 75, widow of Jerry K. Foss, passed away Saturday, April 16, 2022, at her home with her daughter by her side.   Mrs. Foss was born February 11, 1947, and was the daughter of the late Samuel Bose Rabun and Delia Faye Neal Rabun of Stapleton, GA. She was a 1965 graduate of Wrens High School.

The best way to remember Martha is by showcasing her talents that drove her hobbies – she was an incredibly gifted gardener as well as a quilter.  She could take the smallest of plants or fabric scraps and with love and devotion, grow them into beautiful flowers or ornaments.  There is no doubt the greatest joy of her life was her grandson, Kip but her favorite person was her daughter, Sonya.  As the only child of Martha and her late husband, Jerry, Sonya’s presence was the brightest bloom in Martha’s garden of life.

Martha fully dedicated her life to her family.  She was the chief list maker and task-completer of their home and family.  Her penmanship was truly the gracious epitome of a southern artist but her gardens and flowers were her true jewels.   As she developed the gardens around their family home and pond, she learned about the flowers that worked best and she cultivated relationships with other gardeners who could show her the way.  She could spot a ‘English Roseum' from a ‘Trude Webster’ a mile away.  Her green thumb was revered and respected by family and friends.  Martha was never afraid of breaking a nail or breaking a sweat while fanning gnats while she worked in her garden.  She enjoyed visiting other gardens and learning new gardening techniques when she traveled with her sister-in-law, Emily, or her brother, Michael.  Her son-in-law, PeeWee (James), was her preferred groundskeeper as he implemented her designs and wishes over the past few years.

She saved scraps of fabric from the clothing, or favorite items of, the most important people in her life to create quilts or quilted ornaments for them or those people that they loved.  Her designs and attention to detail were beautiful from their creation to execution. Her quilts will be always be considered treasures for those were lucky enough to receive them.  She decorated cakes with the precision of a skilled craftsman for weddings and other celebrations while allowing her daughter and her friends to enjoy the remnants in the icing bags.   She served her community by working as a substitute teacher where she could remain involved and aware of local events. She personified the Republican party ideals of conservatism, family values and liberty without forgetting to love those that were different from her.

She was a true friend to those that she cultivated friendships with and those friendships lasted over time.  If she loved you, then she loved you and you knew that you were loved.  As her family and friends, our prayer now is that she knows the impact that she had on each of us as she pruned or trimmed us along the way while ensuring that we could grow to our full potential.

Survivors include her daughter, Sonya Foss Wilson (James); one grandson, James Kilpatrick Wilson (Kip); one brother, Michael Rabun (Nancy); and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was also preceded in death by four brothers and two sisters, Floyd Rabun (Carolyn), Billie Rabun, Jack Rabun (Ann), Doris Nash (Ray), Faye Rabun, and Joe Rabun (Emily).

The family will receive friends at James Funeral Home from 12:30 – 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, April 20, 2022, after which graveside services, officiated by Allen Jordan, will be held in the Hillcrest Memorial Park in Augusta. Pallbearers will be Alex Christiano, Tim Christiano, Chase Howell, Allen Jordan, Ronnie Rabun and Darrell Wilson.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorial contributions be made to the American Diabetes Association online at diabetes.org or by mail to PO Box 7023, Merrifield VA 22116-7023.