Martha Elliott Young Nantz Watts

Martha Elliott Young Nantz Watts, 92, of Clinton, SC, and formerly of Morganton, NC, ended her earthly struggles and joined her Savior face to face on January 11, 2025. Martha was born and raised at Young's Crossroads outside of Clinton, the daughter of James Willie Young and Era Simpson Young, and was the youngest of seven children. She attended The Hurricane School prior to attending and graduating Clinton High School. "Mot" became a Registered Nurse after finishing The Spartanburg General Hospital School of Nursing. During this time she was one of the first women to attend classes at Wofford College and it was there she met the first love of her life, a Wofford student, Charles B. Nantz, Jr., whom, following graduation, she married and they moved to the Morganton area of western NC. There she and Charlie started their family which grew to include their 4 children.

Martha worked as the Nursing Supervisor for Grace Hospital in Morganton until the premature death of her husband. After that she accepted the position of Nursing Supervisor at the Infirmary of the North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton and led a talented and dedicated Nursing team for 24 years. She learned American Sign Language and fluently communicated with students, parents, and staff. A decade after taking this position, and while still working and raising a family, Martha completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Appalachian State University.

Just prior to her retirement Martha married the second love of her life, Thomas E. "Chop" Watts, of Clinton and she moved back to her hometown for the rest of her life. Together they led a large blended family who shared their priorities of love, faith, and friends. 

Together they also shared a wanderlust for travel. Before her second marriage Martha traveled twice across the US with her family, visiting national parks and the Pacific coast during each trip. She traveled to Japan, South Korea, Spain, Hawaii, and Alaska, principally to visit her children working in these locales but also on educational trips. With Chop, the travel bug was magnified for both of them. They visited all of the "lower 48" states and drove their motor home through Canada to Alaska several times. They canoed and camped in the Okefenokee swamp. Later they visited Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Russia, France, and several other European countries. While enjoying all the treasured experiences their travels brought, Clinton remained their cherished home and home base.

Martha was always active. With her young family in NC she enjoyed the mountains, water skiing, swimming, and camping. She was active in her faith and in the two churches that were most important in her life: Hurricane Baptist Church in Clinton, and Oak Hill United Methodist Church in Morganton. Throughout her dedicated attendance she served as a Sunday School teacher, youth choir director, Vacation Bible School director, choir member, and faithful member, along with numerous other service and witness roles.

She loved the Lord deeply and wanted others to know Jesus Christ. Her faith was strong and she had confidence in her salvation and in the promise of eternity in heaven and being in the presence of her Lord.

Martha was preceded in death by her first husband, Charles B. Nantz, Jr., and by her second husband, Thomas E. Watts, by her siblings Hugh Young (Pat), Odus Young (Connie), Carroll Young (Ira), Ame Caldwell (JW "Bootsie"), Charles Young, and Bernice Watts (Thomas), by a daughter-in-law, Christine P Nantz, and a grandson William Malcolm 'Make' Shields, III. She is survived by the children of her enlarged family: Ms. Diane W Highsmith, Ms. Brenda W Shields, Mr. Thomas P. Watts (Mandy), Dr. C. Benjamin Nantz, III (Elaine), Maj. David W. Nantz (USA Ret.), Ms. Katherine Hilliard (Rev. Joseph), Col. Eric W. Nantz (USA Ret.) (Sara), 19 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren, and by a sister-in-law, Ms. Cornelia Young.

Services will be held Thursday January 16, 2025 at Hurricane Baptist Church, 2763 Hurricane Church Road Clinton SC at 2:00 PM. Visitation with the family will be held before the service at 1:00 PM. A service will also be held Friday, January 17, 2025 at Oak Hill United Methodist Church, 2239 NC-181, Morganton NC at 2:00 PM. Visitation with the family will be held before the service at 1:00 PM. A private internment will be in the Oak Hill UMC cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Hurricane Baptist Church, 18211 Highway 72 East, Clinton SC 29325 or to the Capital Reserve Fund, Oak Hill United Methodist Church, 2239 NC-181, Morganton NC 28655.

Condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting www.grayfuneralhome.com

Gray Funeral Home of Clinton is assisting the Watts family with services.