Martha Nell Hogan, 76, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, passed away on June 4, 2026.
Funeral services for Martha Nell Hogan will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at Paulk Funeral Home in Fitzgerald, Georgia, with the Rev. Terry Cole officiating. Interment will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1 PM until the service hour.
Born on May 1, 1950, Martha was a lifelong resident of Fitzgerald and a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, great-aunt, and friend. She poured her love into the family she cherished, helping raise her niece, Terri, and nephew, Patrick, and later delighting in the generations that followed.
Known affectionately as "Monkey," a childhood nickname given to her by her father that remained with her throughout her life, Martha was a gentle and soft-spoken woman whose greatest joy was caring for the people she loved. She was happiest when sharing stories about her family, especially memories of Terri and Patrick growing up. Among those treasured memories were the many walks she took with them searching for arrowheads, a pastime they shared and one that often ended with exciting discoveries. Long after they were grown, she continued beloved family traditions, making Easter bunny cakes and filling Christmas stockings with the same love she had shown throughout their childhoods.
Martha found joy in life's simple pleasures. She loved reading her Bible, writing little stories, baking, caring for her home, and collecting cookie jars and monkey figurines. She had a special love for cats and treasured those she cared for throughout her life. She also faithfully fed the wild Burmese chickens that visited her property, finding joy in watching over the animals that crossed her path. Her nurturing spirit extended to everyone around her. Family members fondly remember that even when she tried to discipline the children she loved, her gentle heart often got in the way. One cherished memory involved Martha softly fussing at Terri and Michael for feeding bread to her goldfish—a rare attempt at scolding that became a family story and reflected the kindness with which she approached everyone in her care. She was always ready to offer food, a drink, a listening ear, or a prayer to anyone who walked through her door. Her family will remember her as a woman of deep faith, quiet kindness, and unwavering love.
Many of her happiest moments were spent reading stories to the children she loved, often with a child nestled in her lap. Through her love of books and storytelling, she inspired a lifelong love of reading in those closest to her. To know Martha was to know you were loved. Her family never doubted the joy she felt whenever they walked through her door.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Pete Hogan and Dorothy Hogan; her infant brother, James David Hogan; her brothers, Ronnie Hogan and Danny Hogan; and her sister, Carol Hogan Broome.
She is survived by her sisters, Barbara Hogan McDuffie and Cathy Hogan Soles; her niece, Terri McDuffie Hughes (John); her nephews, Patrick McDuffie, Michael Champion, Bryan Champion (Leticia), and Nathan Champion; and her great-nieces, Katie Hughes, Kristen McDuffie, Lily McDuffie, Chelsea Champion, and Teresa Champion, along with many other relatives and friends who loved her.
Though Martha often underestimated her importance in the lives of others, her legacy lives on in the stories she told, the traditions she kept, the faith she carried, and the family she loved with her whole heart.
The family finds comfort in knowing that the gentle woman they called Monkey will be remembered not only for the life she lived, but for the love she so freely gave.
Paulk Funeral Home, Fitzgerald, is in charge of arrangements.