Obituary of Martha Ardell Woodson

Martha Ardell Woodson, the daughter of Alexander Woodson, Sr. and Rebecca Susan Taylor Woodson was born on July 2, 1944 in Buckingham, Virginia. She grew up in a loving and close-knit family and she was one of six children. At an early age she gave her life to Christ and joined the Petersville Baptist Church in New Canton, VA. Ardell attended and graduated from Carter G. Woodson School. After she graduated in 1964, she wanted to be like her big sisters and followed them to New Jersey where she met, fell in love and married Raymond Jones. She worked for the Passaic County Board of Social Services in Paterson, New Jersey until she retired in 1999. She was a member of Canaan Baptist Church in Paterson, NJ until she relocated to Budd Lake, NJ. Ardell was a baseball fan and loved the New York Yankees like her dear Aunt Geraldine (affectionately known as "Aunt Geri"). She also shared a passion for crossword puzzles like her Aunt Catherine (affectionately known as "Aunt Peachie"). Not a week would go by without her saying, "I have to call Uncle John who we all call "Sugar Boy."' She loved to cook, where she probably got that love from was her Aunt Jeanetta (affectionately known as "Aunt Jennie"). She could be a little stubborn at times and kept to herself like her Aunt Ethel (affectionately known as "Aunt Aw"). She loved talking with her sister Berta about what was going on with celebrities and TV shows like the Masked Singer (both of them trying to figure out who the disguised person was). Her and her sister Jessie, well they talked about everything. Her conversations with her sister Ethel were pretty much one-sided because Ethel said what she had to say and Ardell just agreed with her because after all Ethel was "big sis". She loved chatting with all her nieces, whom she loved with all her heart, as well as her nephews. On Friday, April 1, 2022 Ardell departed this life surrounded by her children, her sister and brother-in-law. God plucked his beautiful flower on the same property where he first planted her. She was preceded in death by: her loving parents; daughter, Loletia Jones and two brothers, Ernest Cornelius Woodson and Alexander Woodson, Jr. She leaves to cherish her memory: her two children, Monica Young, Budd Lake, NJ and LaShawn Woodson, Norcross, Georgia; her son-in-law, whom she loved like her second son, Oliver Young (affectionately known to her as "Fred"), Budd Lake, NJ; two grandsons, whom she spoiled rotten, Jordan Myles Young and DelShawn Ivan Woodson; three sisters, Mary Ethel Shearn, Paterson, NJ, Alberta Brown, Rochelle Park, NJ and Jessie Woodson Johnson (Lonnie), Buckingham, VA, along with a host of nieces, nephews and friends. She also leaves to cherish her memory her two close friends, Annie Mae Hamilton and Julia Manigault Roper. She was loved by many and will be surely missed. May she rest in peace for all of eternity! Don't Cry for Me Don't cry for me. I will be okay. Heaven is my home now, and this is where I'll stay. Don't cry for me. I'm where I belong. I want you to be happy and try to stay strong. Don't cry for me. It was just my time, but I will see you someday on the other side. Don't cry for me. I am not alone. The angels are with me to welcome me home. Don't cry for me, for I have no fear. All my pain is gone, and Jesus took my tears. Don't cry for me. This is not the end. I'll be waiting here for you when we meet again. Author: Deborah Garcia Gaitan The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to everyone for their many acts of kindness through your prayers, cards, text messages and phone calls during our time of bereavement. May God bless you and His love be yours to share.