Ruby Ethel Goforth

Ruby Martin Goforth, 102, of Statesville, passed away Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at Maple Leaf Health Care. She was born on April 24, 1915 in Alexander County to the late Lee Stevenson Martin and Bessie Quenn Deal Martin. Mrs. Goforth attended Vashti School and married Marvin Otis Goforth on September 17, 1938. They shared over 59 years of marriage before his passing on September 21, 1997. She was a self-employed seamstress and helped her husband in the operation of the family grocery store. Mrs. Goforth was a charter member of Monticello Baptist Church where she had served numerous offices and taught the Adult Ladies Sunday school class. She lived a full life and will be dearly missed by her family and all who knew her. Along with her parents and husband, Marvin, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Pauline Childers and Effie Lee Abernathy; one brother, Grady Martin; and one son-in-law, Harold Rash. Left to cherish her memory are two daughters, Louise Fulp (Harold) of Swansboro, NC and Marilyn Rash of Olin; six grandchildren, Roy Fulp (Elaine), Jeff Fulp (Kathy), Rev. Judith Fulp-Eickstaedt (Rev. Aaron), Marcia Ireland, Steve Rash (Beth), Roger Fulp (Susan); 12 great grandchildren, Marcus Ireland (Callie), Marissa Ireland-Ratcliffe (Steven), Jessica, Jennifer, and Jacob Fulp, Rebecca and Martha Fulp-Eickstaedt, Ashleigh and Annalise Rash, Joshua Fulp (Desiree), Caleb and Sarah Fulp; two great great grandchildren, Sawyer and Ruby Ratcliffe; two brothers, Jay D. Martin (Doris) and Gordon Martin; and one sister, Edna Overcash. Funeral services will be held 2:00 pm Saturday, July 22, 2017 at Monticello Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Bobby Henderson, Rev. Gary Blalock, and Rev. Judith Fulp-Eickstaedt officiating. Burial will follow in the Iredell Memorial Gardens Cemetery. The family will visit with friends at the church prior to the service from 1:00 until 2:00 pm. The family would like to thank her caregivers, Jane Rash and Betty Reid for their love and support. They would also like to thank the staff of Jurneys and Maple Leaf Health Care for the care they provided. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Monticello Baptist Church, 3603 Taylorsville Hwy, Statesville, NC 28625. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.nicholsonfunerals.com and Nicholson Funeral Home is serving the family.