HARTFORD, Ky. — Martha Jo Young, 86, of Hartford, passed away early Sunday morning, Jan. 1, 2023, with her loving family at her side. Jo was born in Beda, Kentucky on March 10, 1936, to the late John C. Tanner and Elsie Catherine Boyles Tanner.
Jo was a faithful member of Beaver Dam Baptist Church where she taught the Winsome Sunday school class. In Jo’s earlier years, one of her joys was teaching the 4 year-olds Sunday school class and singing in the choir. She utilized her talents of making quilts and baking pies to express her love and appreciation for others. She was a member of the Piece Makers Quilt Club and enjoyed playing Dominos with her “Domino Girls.”
Jo was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend. She was happiest when all of her family was together. She enjoyed traveling to visit family and loved spending time being “Gram” to her grandchildren and great-granddaughters.
Jo was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 59 years, W.P. “Sonny” Young, who passed away on May 10, 2014, and her seven siblings, Elaine Tinsley, Wanda Park, Bill Tanner, Kenneth Tanner, Dalton Tanner, Ray Tanner, and Sue Poiles.
Jo leaves behind to cherish her memory two daughters, Kathi and her husband, David Simpson, of Hartford, Judy and her husband, Joe Eskridge, of Bellevue, Washington; four grandchildren, Drew (Lam) Lo, of Redmond, Washington, William Eskridge, of Bellevue, Phoebe (Dan) Galaz, of Bellevue, and Abigail (Joseph) McDermott, of Lexington, Kentucky; five great-grandchildren, Juliet Lo, Camilla Lo, Gabriela Galaz, Heidi McDermott, and Norah McDermott; and one brother, Harold “Buzz” (Hettie) Tanner of Charlotte, North Carolina.
A service to celebrate the life of Martha Jo Young will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7, at Beaver Dam Baptist Church with Dr. Glenn Armstrong and Rev. John Cashion officiating. Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery in Hartford. Friends may visit with Jo’s family from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday at William L. Danks Funeral Home in Beaver Dam, Kentucky, and from noon until 2 p.m. on Saturday at Beaver Dam Baptist Church, 343 S. Main Street, Beaver Dam, KY 42320.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.danksfuneralhome.com.
The family requests expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to:
Hospice of Ohio County, 1211 Main Street, Hartford, KY 42347, Beulah Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery Fund, Beulah Cumberland Presbyterian Church, c/o Regina Hudson, 1184 Beda Road, Hartford, KY 42327, or Hope for Life, 200 N. Main Street, Beaver Dam, KY 42320