Martha Perry's Obituary
Martha Joanna Perry, 87, of Davidson, NC, passed away Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
Martha was a native of Charlotte, NC and moved home to North Carolina during her retirement. Martha spent her career valiantly fighting for those would could not fight for themselves. In doing so, she was named Kentucky Social Worker of the Year and National Social Worker of the Year in 1981, and granted an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Waynesburg College in 2006. She was a deeply devoted, lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church.
When she wasn’t helping others, she was helping herself through her passion for reading, learning and traveling. She traveled the world in the same manner she did everything else, vastly and intensely. And, let’s not forget the cats. She had none, but would’ve had them all if she could.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Haywood and Mary Elizabeth McCall, and her 6 brothers, Ralph, Ernest, Howard, Thomas, Robert and Charles Ray. She is survived by many loving family members, and even more loving friends, some of them lifelong. She sarcastically, posthumously apologizes for those lists being too long to name individually.
If you would like to honor Martha’s life accordingly, please make a donation to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, or your local cat rescue. Or, turn on some classical music, read a book and slowly drink a glass of Pinot Grigio.
What’s your fondest memory of Martha?
What’s a lesson you learned from Martha?
Share a story where Martha's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Martha you’ll never forget.
How did Martha make you smile?