Martha Sue Smith Hutchens, 87, of Huntsville passed away Tuesday. She was born in Cullman, AL and was a 1951 graduate of Cullman High School. She attended Judson College before transferring to the University of Alabama where she was president of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and graduated in 1955 with a degree in music. Martha Sue moved to Huntsville to start a 61-year career as a piano teacher to literally thousands of students. She met Vernon Hutchens and they married in 1958.
Martha Sue was a life-long community volunteer. In 1958, the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra felt the need to form a committee of women interested in the cultural life of Huntsville who would assist in fund raising. The Orchestra board president appointed Martha Sue to serve as the chairman. This committee became what is known today as the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild of which she served as president in 1965 and as chairman of the 1975 Symphony Ball.
She was a charter member and past president of Chapter J of the PEO Sisterhood, a women’s organization dedicated to the philanthropic education of women. She was initiated in 1958. A longtime member of the Church of the Nativity, Episcopal, she served in almost every volunteer capacity. Martha Sue and Vernon were also active at St. Joseph’s on the Mountain Episcopal Church in Mentone, where she served many years as the organist. In 1986, Martha Sue became the founding president of the Constitution Hall Park Society, which later became the EarlyWorks Society. She was also a member and past president of the Music Appreciation Group, and an active fundraiser for Randolph School.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Vernon Hutchens, Jr., parents, Mr. & Mrs. T.A. Smith and niece Kim Marie Smith McGlothlen. Survivors include sons, Fisher Hutchens (Johanna) and Thomas Hutchens; grandchildren, Sara Elizabeth and John Fisher Hutchens; brothers, Thomas A. Smith, Jr. (Becky), Sherrill Smith (Barbara), and William “Babe” Smith (Rose Ann); nephews, John William McCaleb, III (Anita), Robert Hutchens McCaleb, Stephen Cooper Smith (Amy), Tom David Smith (Stephanie); nieces, Martha Cosentino (Stephen), Melinda Yarbrough (Kyron), Catherine Bennett (Todd), Chrissy Brown (Mike) and Ann Margaret Smith.
A funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 7, 2021 at Church of the Nativity, Episcopal with Father Michael Goldsmith and Father William “Bill” Winters officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Church of Nativity, Episcopal, 208 Eustis Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35801, St Joseph’s on the Mountain Episcopal Church, 21145 Scenic Hwy, Mentone, AL 35984 or the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild, P. O. Box 2400, Huntsville, AL 35804.
