Martha Ford Carswell

Funeral services for Martha Ford Carswell, 76, of Lufkin will be held Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in the First Christian Church with Reverend Stephen Lantis officiating. Interment will follow in the Knight Cemetery.

Mrs. Carswell was born June 23, 1939 in Nacogdoches, Texas to the late Dallas L. and Mary Beth (Sharpe) Ford and was raised by her grandmother, Mrs. Eva Sharpe and died Friday, November 13, 2015 in The Woodlands.

Mrs. Carswell graduated from Lufkin High School in 1957 and later received a Bachelor of Science in Education Degree from Texas Christian University in 1961. She began teaching second grade at Kurth Elementary. She later married Ray Carswell in June of 1963 and moved to Vidor in 1963 where she taught third grade for two years. In 1966 they returned to Lufkin when she had their son Jim. Mrs. Carswell resumed teaching at Diboll I.S.D where she taught fifth and sixth grade math. She received Teacher of the Year in 1994 and participated in the STACK – Drug Free Program. She retired in 2002 after thirty-eight years of teaching. She went on to substitute for another five years. Mrs. Carswell was an Elder Emeritus at First Christian Church, a member of the Ernest Medford Sunday School Class and the FCC Chancel Choir for over forty years. She also volunteered for the Lufkin High School Alumni Association. Mrs. Carswell was a Daughter of the American Revolution and a Daughter of the Republic of Texas. She loved her grandchildren immensely and will be greatly missed.

Survivors include her husband, Ray Carswell of Lufkin; son and daughter-in-law, Jon and Jill Carswell of Montgomery, and son, Jim Carswell and partner Scott Stevens of Wylie; grandchildren, Emma, Abby, and Tucker Ray Carswell; brother-in-law, Jerry Berghauser of Richmond; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Janie and Buck Hines of Huntington; nieces and spouses, Susan and Todd Fink, Karen and D.J. Ramirez all of Richmond, also Jennifer and Glenn Burchard of Palestine; nephew, Bobby Hines of Huntington; along with numerous other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Pallbearers will be Dale Anderson, Richard Winn, David Cochran, Ernest Rowe, Thomas Moore, Michael Austin, James Yeates, and Leon Levens.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Ernest Medford Sunday School Class and Elders of First Christian Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church Living Trust, 1300 S. First Street, Lufkin, Texas 75901

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.
Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.