Martha Laverne "Cricket" Whitfield Land, 87, of Tifton died Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at her residence. Graveside funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 20, 2013, at Tift Memorial Gardens. Rev. Tom Deal and Elder Walter DeLoach will officiate with entombment to follow. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, June 19, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Shorty Haney, Kyle Hodges, Louie Bousarkis, Carlton Whitfield, Lowell Abel, and Lee Evans will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Frisky Red Hatters and the Tifton Methodist Kitchen Band.
Mrs. Land was born October 24, 1925 in Ty Ty and was the daughter of John Whitfield and Bessie Elizabeth Lawrence Whitfield, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Robert Land; two sisters, Mildred Henry and Kathleen Howard; and one brother, Carl Whitfield. She had lived all of her life in Tift County.
Mrs. Land had retired as a bookkeeper for Spinks Farms. She was a faithful member of the Tifton Primitive Baptist Church. She also enjoyed her membership and participation in the Frisky Red Hatters and the Methodist Church Kitchen Band. She was known and loved by her friends for her ability to make up and deliver entertaining stories and comedy sketches. She served on the Tift County Board of Elections. Her hobbies were gardening, fishing and reading.
As Edna Abel's sister, she was always included in Abel family events, and members of the family considered her an adopted aunt.
She is survived by her sister, Edna Abel of Enigma, as well as several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to Hospice of Tiftarea, P. O. Box 747, Tifton, GA 31793 or the Tifton Primitive Baptist Church, 403 Tift Avenue North, Tifton, GA 31794.