Martha Ruth Whatley Kelley, 81, a resident of Grady, Alabama, passed away at Troy Health & Rehabilitation on Thursday, October 29th, 2026. Funeral services for Martha Ruth will be held at 11 AM on Wednesday, November 4th, at Lapine Baptist Church with Rev. Bo Weed officiating. She will then be laid to rest beside her beloved husband in Rocky Mount Cemetery with Turners Funeral Home of Luverne directing. The family will receive friends at the church on Wednesday for one hour prior to the service.

In her final days her life testified about her faith in God. She will always be remembered for her trust and faith in her Heavenly Father. She patiently waited for her Lord to come take her to her Heavenly home. We would talk about God's timing and how He gives life and takes life as scripture tells us. And on that Thursday night, God took her home. With her personal relationship with her Lord, she also had a very loving church family. She talked about how much she loved each one there. Her pastor, Bo and his wife, have been so caring and a blessing through it all. Another special relationship has been her neighbors, Paula and Charles. They have been there for her to help in many ways. She could always depend on them. And when stormy weather was approaching, she had a dear friend, Carole, who would call and tell her to come and stay at her house until the storm passed. Time with family and friends was always special to her.

Things she enjoyed were nature, her husband, Fred R., and she loved to fish. They spent many hours fishing together. They also enjoyed eating what they caught. Another hobby they enjoyed together was feeding deer in their yard. As she continued to do this many different generations of deer came each day. Some deer would lie waiting for feeding time, others may come up to her porch, and others knew just when to show up. On her porch you could enjoy the hummingbirds. She knew just when to put out her feeders for each year. Also, her Christmas cacti were also beautiful on the porch each year.

She will dearly be missed by all her friends and family.

Martha Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Fred R. Kelley; parents, Charlie & Eunice Searcy Whatley; and siblings, Mary Grace Tharpe, Searcy Whatley, and Betty Sue Kelley. She is survived by her brother, Charles Hubert Whatley; nieces, Cynthia Whatley (David) Wilder and Marie Blankenship; nephews, Brian (Debbie) Tharpe & John (Dianne) Tharpe; and numerous great-nieces, great-nephews, other extended family members, and friends.

Flowers will be accepted or those wishing to make a memorial donation can make it to Lapine Baptist Church.

Active pallbearers will be David Wilder, Timothy Brown, Bert Thompkins, Howard Cochran, Spooky May, and Bill Canty. Honorary pallbearer will be Charles Frost.