Martha Blue (Purser) Hooks

Martha Blue Hooks of Scotia Village Retirement community passed away October 21, 2019. A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 11:00 am, at Scotia Village. 

 Surviving her are her children; James Mason Hooks, of Rockingham, NC;  Ruth Blue Lee, of Mason’s Cross, NC; and David Gray Hooks, of Stafford, VA. She also leaves grandchildren; Jean Fortune (Chris), James R. Reedy III (Jennifer), Adam Tharrington, Mary Blue Tharrington, Rebecca Hooks, Robert Hooks, 6 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. 

Martha Blue was born in Goldsboro to Ruth Blue and Roy Purser. Her ties to Scotland County run deep. Her grandparents were NC Senator Lauchlin McLaurin Blue and Mattie Mason. She was predeceased by her parents, her first husband; James Lynn Castleberry, her husband Barden David (Bill) Hooks, two children; Robert Lauchlin Castleberry, and Martha Lynn Hall; her granddaughter, Lynn Hinson, and her two brothers, Roy Purser and Jim Purser. 

Martha Blue attended Meredith College, majoring in music. She met her first husband at a USO function at Goldsboro Baptist Church. She was playing piano and he walked up and began singing. They married soon afterwards and had four children before his death 10 years later. Upon moving to Raleigh to be closer to her parents, she met and married Bill Hooks, who adopted the Castleberry children and together they had a son, David. 

As her children grew, her interest in flowers and art lead her to study Japanese flower arranging (Ikebana). She eventually became a Professor of Ikenobo School of Japanese Flower arranging and served as president of the NC Ikenobo Society for 10 years. She taught classes at her home in Raleigh for 30 years. She was a national flower show judge and held the distinction of being the only person to exhibit a flower arrangement in the NC Museum of Art. Her arrangements have been exhibited in the NC State School of Design, Lord and Taylor and Neiman Marcus in Atlanta, as well as many Raleigh area malls. 

Martha Blue was active in the NC Garden Club in Raleigh and found many friends in the Laurinburg chapter when she and Bill retired to Mason’s Cross. In 2003 they moved to their home at Scotia Village, where she was living independently until a few weeks before her death. Martha Blue was a former deacon at First Baptist Church and taught Couples Class Sunday school. She served on the St. Andrews University Board of the Press and was honored with the Sam Ragan Fine Arts award in 2009. 

The family would like to thank the First Baptist Church and Dr. Wike, her friends and neighbors at Scotia Village, Chaplain Linda Nelson, and the Scotia Village staff. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to FBC, PO Box 883, Laurinburg, NC 28353 and St. Andrews University, 1700 Dogwood Mile, Laurinburg, NC 28352.

McDougald Funeral Home and Crematorium is serving the family.

Online condolences may be made at www.mcdougald.com

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