Martha Lois Wolfe Flanders, 94, died Sunday, December 13, 2020, at the home of her son John and his wife Robin Mullis Flanders in Laurens County, Georgia. Mrs. Flanders was born May 7, 1926, at her parents' home in western Laurens County, the fifth and youngest child of John Martin Wolfe, 1894-1963, and Myrtie Lou Moorman Wolfe, 1898-1971.

One of five High Honor graduates of the class of 1943 at Dublin High School, Martha Wolfe addressed Democracy at commencement exercises. At Brewton Parker College she served as sophomore class president. She received an A.B. in Math and French from Mercer University in 1947 and did further study at Mercer in 1948. She taught in Dudley, Georgia until her marriage. In 1955 she was asked to teach at the Brewton School. She renewed her teaching credentials with the Georgia State Board of Education that year by documenting 59 days of travel throughout the United States 1951-1955, covering 25 states and 23,895 miles, touring most of the national parks and major cities west of the Mississippi. Carefully preserved films provide a valuable and entertaining record of these trips. She taught in the East Laurens schools until the birth of her children and returned to teaching when they entered college. She tutored many grateful students, including her own children, to succeed in Math, Algebra, and Geometry. She received the M. Ed. from Georgia College in 1986, and retired from the Laurens County School System in 1996.

Martha Wolfe married George Fred Flanders, 1914-1991, on June 14, 1950. They were the third generation to operate his family farm in Carters District in eastern Laurens County. They also farmed on property owned by her family following the death of her father. Consummate hosts with an abiding love of family, Martha and Fred welcomed countless members of their extended families to the George West and Ocala Odom Carter farm. Five generations have cherished this family property. Reunions of the descendants of Fred's great-grandparents Willis and Edith Calhoun Carter were held at the farm and nearby Carter's Chapel in 1958 and 1959, and continued for over half a century. The Carter reunion returned to the farm in 2010, with a Flanders reunion being held there in 2011.

In 1969, Martha and Fred and their children migrated to Australia, where they lived in Toowoomba, Queensland until they returned to Georgia in 1974. The family traveled extensively in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific, as well as in the western United States on a return visit to Georgia in 1971. While residing abroad, Martha attended Toowoomba's Rockville Baptist Church. The family hosted dozens of friends and family members, as well as friends of friends, who visited Australia. Visitors included her mother, her siblings Oscar, James, and Esther, her brother-in-law Ralph Garner, nephews Alan Wolfe and Steven Garner, Fred's cousin Frances Carter Grimsley, and the family's dear friends Jeanette Fulford, her daughters Beverly and Gail, and Elmo and Inez Keene. Martha introduced Australian and international friends to southern hospitality and southern cooking.

Martha was first a member of Bethsaida Baptist Church in Laurens County. She joined Brewton Baptist Church following her marriage and was its oldest member for many years. Her children hosted her 90th birthday at Brewton Baptist Church in 2016. The church honored her with birthday celebrations in subsequent years. In 2019, she celebrated her birthday online with her daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law during their visit to Australia to mark the 50th anniversary of the family's arrival there. In celebration of her 94th birthday, friends, and family in the U.S., Australia, and England joined in sharing their fondest memories of the love and support they received from Martha throughout their lives. Martha sang in the Brewton choir, taught Sunday School, and led Girls Auxiliary and Vacation Bible School. For many years she held weekly sword drill Bible sessions at the church. She competed in numerous walkathons across Georgia, generally coming in first in her age group, even when pushing a grandchild in a stroller. Martha was a member of the Home Demonstration Club in Dublin, college alumni groups, and several parent-teacher organizations in the United States and Australia. Martha and Fred actively participated in political organizations and campaigns, serving as party delegates at local, district, and state conventions. They spoke to numerous civic groups over the years, sharing slides and films, and discussing their travels. They were members of a Supper Club of close friends who lived in eastern Laurens County, and part of a group who hosted monthly Farm Bureau dinners and educational programs at East Laurens High School.

Martha was preceded in death by her husband Fred Flanders, their infant son, who was born June 5, 1959, her parents, and her siblings Oscar Anderson Wolfe, James Arthur Wolfe, Mertie Wolfe Pennington, and their spouses. Survivors include her son John Frederick Flanders, daughter Emily Lorene Flanders, their spouses Robin Mullis Flanders and Paul David Campbell, and Martha's two grandchildren, Anderson Hart Flanders Campbell and Jordan Elizabeth Vara Flanders Campbell. Her sister Esther Wolfe Garner and brother-in-law Ralph Garner of Dublin also survive her, along with nieces and nephews Alan (Jan) Wolfe, Dr. Lynn Wolfe, Judy Wolfe (Chuck) Triplett, Dr. Annette Wolfe (Dr. Gerald) Townsend, Ronald (Ellen) Wolfe, and Dr. Steven (Lee) Garner, and their descendants.

Martha's son John and his wife Robin provided loving care to his mother from 2017 onward in their home, which was built by Martha and Fred in 1959. John and Robin were ably assisted by Martha's devoted, beloved caregivers Dorothy (Dot) Green, Sherry Harris, Alteria Jordan, Susie Evans, and Dora Davis.

Martha's daughter Lorene Flanders, her husband Paul Campbell, and their children Hart Campbell and Jordan Campbell were blessed with Martha Flanders' loving care as their mother and grandmother.

Services will be held Saturday, December 19, 2020, at 2:00 PM at Brewton Baptist Church, 475 South Peachtree Road, East Dublin, Georgia, with Allen Wiggins and Kenny Green officiating. Visitation will precede the service at 1:00 PM. Interment will follow the service at Carter's Chapel United Methodist Church, 2135 Highway 80 East, East Dublin, Georgia.

Pallbearers will include Ricky Wheeler, James Stinson, Daniel Young, Sam Beall, and Chris Hobbs. Honorary pallbearers include Kevin Smith, Jay Mullis, Rodney Soles, Mike Lowe, and Al Beall.

Townsend Brothers Funeral Home and Staff respectfully ask all in attendance to wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines .