Sara was born and raised outside of Oxford, Mississippi, in the small town of Abbeville, where she learned the importance of faith, family, and hard work from a young age. She was beloved by all her peers and was voted “Most Popular” multiple times by her high school classmates. She was also a talented basketball player and was voted “Most Athletic” every year in high school as well.
Sara attended business college and was working at a bank in Oxford when she went on a blind date with a handsome boy from Chicago named Marty. After a short courtship, Sara married Leonard Wayne “Marty” Martinec on January 29, 1957 (although there was much debate about the correct anniversary because the courthouse clerk didn’t sign the marriage license until January 30!). The young couple remained in Mississippi while Marty completed his education at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy (1960) and then the University of Mississippi School of Medicine (1964). They moved to Memphis, Tennessee for her husband’s internship at University of Tennessee Baptist Hospital, but after only one year he was drafted by the U.S. Army and sent to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Shortly thereafter, Marty was deployed to Vietnam, leaving Sara to raise her two young daughters alone for a year. Following Vietnam, Marty and Sara remained in Huntsville for their entire lives. They were married for over 67 years until Marty’s death on June 8, 2024.
Sara and Marty raised three daughters together: Jamie, Linda, and Amy. Sara was passionate and selfless, and she loved to sacrifice her own time and resources for the benefit of others. She was a devoted wife, a loving daughter, a tireless mother, and a doting and affectionate “Meme”. She would frequently drop everything so she could travel to help with her aging parents, or babysit her grandchildren, sometimes for weeks at a time. She also loved it when her grandchildren would come stay at Meme and Dede’s house. The grandkids have many fond memories, especially of playing in Meme’s toy closet, and sitting on the porch swing with her, singing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”. As Sara’s life neared its end, she often dreamed aloud of the day when she would be reunited with all her family in one place for all eternity.
Sara considered her family her most important job, but she did get her real estate license when she and Marty were empty nesters, and she enjoyed selling real estate for years. She also worked as a part-time unit secretary at the Huntsville Hospital Emergency Department, while her husband worked his weekly shifts. But much of her time was spent volunteering at First Baptist Church Huntsville: in the church library, teaching the pre-K Sunday School class, and at Wednesday night dinners. For many years, Sara and Marty were “fixtures” at First Baptist Church who could be found there several nights a week. They also went on various mission trips with their church, and even travelled to Europe with their church family.
Sara had a tender humility that everyone found so inviting, and she never stopped making new friends. She “loved big”, extending generous hospitality to everyone, and her door was always open to friends, family, or even the occasional stranger. To know Sara was to love her, so even former strangers became fast friends, because she just loved to be around people. Her home was always immaculate and inviting, and she was also a wonderful cook. You couldn’t visit her without being offered food or a cup of coffee, and she never let anyone go hungry at her house!
Sara found exceeding joy in the simplest of pursuits. She loved ballroom dancing with her husband, gardening, sewing, cooking, and Bible studies. She enjoyed going to antique auctions and maintained a small antique booth for many years. Every morning, she listened to Charles Swindoll’s radio Bible study, and she also liked to sing along (admittedly out of tune) to old gospel music. She derived great joy from spending time in her yard and being outdoors. She was humble and gentle in spirit and was most content when she was surrounded by her friends and family. Despite her worsening dementia and stroke, Sara never lost her sweet and loving spirit, and she continued to make new friends until the end of her life. Her legacy of grace and kindness will outlive her, and she will not be forgotten.
Sara was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Leonard Wayne Martinec; her parents, Marion Comer Roy and Jamie Laverne Roy; her brother, Donald Houston Roy; and her grandson, Sergeant Paul Brent Bergmann, USMC.
She is survived by her three daughters, Jamie Martinec Bergmann, Linda Marie Clift, and Dr. Amy Martinec Billings; two sons-in-law, Paul Bergmann III and Dr. Charles Julian Billings Sr.; five grandchildren, Joshua Tyler Amsden, Kelly Lauren Bergmann, Patrick Grant Billings (Katie), Jackson Park Billings, and Charles Julian Billings, Jr; and six great-grandchildren, Levi Belle Billings, John Thatcher Billings, Piper Jane Billings, Isaiah Amsden, Avery Amsden, and Kennedy Amsden.
Visitation will be held at Laughlin Service Funeral Home on Wednesday November 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. There will be graveside service in Abbeville Cemetery, Abbeville Mississippi, on Saturday, November 16th at 1 p.m.
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to all of Sara’s loving and devoted caregivers over the past few years, including Mary Ann Moorefield, Judy Campbell, Patricia Henderson, Pamela Miller, Amber Griffin, Ernestine Johnson, Kinslee Patterson, Jenifer Gulley, all the staff at Brookdale Memory Care in Hampton Cove, and all the staff at Barfield Health Care in Guntersville.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Mrs. Martinec’s memory may be made to GateCity Missions, (fund G4415B), or to Barfield Health Care in Guntersville.
