- Date Of Birth: September 12, 1950
- Date Of Death: January 29, 2021
- State: Georgia
Martha Crouthers Grindler was born in Kennett, Missouri on September 12, 1950, the second of six daughters born to James L. Crouthers and Viva Elizabeth Burch Crouthers. She died peacefully at home on Brannen Lake with her family at her bedside. Her father was a Medic in the USAF and she lived and went to school all over the world. After her father developed life ending cancer, her mother settled in Canton Georgia near her family and raised the six girls. Martha graduated from Cherokee High School and went on to graduate from West Georgia College where she was a member of Chi Omega. She travelled to Dijon, France in the summer of 1969 on a study abroad program sponsored by the University of Georgia. There she met her future husband, who was enrolled in the same summer program at the University of Dijon. After they were married, she and her husband settled in his hometown of Swainsboro where she taught second grade until the birth of her children.
The Grindlers raised their two children in Swainsboro and Statesboro. In Swainsboro, Martha was a constant volunteer, was elected to the Emanuel County Board of Education for two consecutive terms serving eight years where she was instrumental in the construction of the new Swainsboro High School. She was appointed to the Georgia Board of Humanities by Governor George Busbee and served as a member of that Board for a number of years, making worthy grants to various projects throughout the State.
In 1995 she and her husband retired to East Beach on St. Simons Island where she was an active volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, representing children’s rights in the court system of Glynn County. She was a story reader to children at St. Simons Elementary School. She was a very active member of St.
Martha is survived by her husband of 49 years, Alex Grindler, her two children Liz Grindler Bland and Jim Grindler (Shannon) both of Statesboro. Her love for her two Granddaughters, Laurabeth Bland of Athens and Carson Caroline Grindler had no bounds. She is also survived by four sisters: Mima Corbett (Charles) of Canton, Mandy Mills (Frank) of Canton, Melissa Edwards (Charles) of Canton and Monica Trice (Larry) of Ft. Myers, Florida. Her sister Margie Bagwell (Bob) predeceased her. Numerous nieces, nephews and cousins mourn her loss.
