Rose Marie Martin, age 83, passed away peacefully on March 13, 2026, at Inspired Living memory care center in Alpharetta, Georgia.

She was born February 27, 1943, in Roseboro, NC, the daughter of the late Roy Jackson West and Evelyn Earl Owen West.

Marie (as she preferred to be called) was a teacher in every sense of the word. She began teaching in 1968 and later worked for Stokes County Schools for over 24 years, first serving as a teacher and reading specialist at King Primary, then as an Assistant Principal at North Stokes, and finally as a Principal at Lawsonville Elementary before retiring in October of 1999 and moving to Sneads Ferry, NC where she lived until 2023. She held master’s degrees in both education and school administration from UNCG, a BA in education from East Carolina, was a published author, and also wrote a column for King Times News in the 1980s. She was a voracious reader, a wonderful cook, and a beloved grandmother. And she enjoyed gardening, walking on the beach, playing golf and mahjong, going to church, finding an excuse to wear a pretty hat, and spending time with family and friends. She was kind, patient, and generous.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Eugene Martin; her brothers Roy Devon West and Larry Jackson West; her sisters Doris Evelyn (Bobby) Martin West, Edna Earl West (Craven) Spell Barker, and Betsy Joyce West Gutherie; and her brothers-in-law Richard Martin and Roger Lynch, and sister-in-law Faye West.

She is survived by her son Thomas Erik (Gina Kates) Martin, her daughter Jennifer Marie (Justin Bradley) Poore; her grandchildren Taylor Marie Martin, Sydney Kates Martin, Tripp Thomas Poore, and Corbin Joseph Poore; her brother James Van Buren West and sister Judy West (Harry) Rimel; her brothers-in-law Bill Guthrie and George Martin, and sisters-in-law Rita West, Shirley Lynch, Pam (Hank) Miller, Lynn (Junior) Seivers, Debbie Martin; and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.

A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Moody Funeral Services, 206 W Pine St, Mt Airy, NC 27030. Burial will follow at Skyline Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, from 12:30 until time of the service. Moodys of Mount Airy is respectfully serving the Martin family.

If you’d like to contribute, but would prefer something other than flowers, please consider making a donation to dementia research in Marie’s name at donate.brightfocus.org/bff/donate