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Meet A. J. and Martha Walton
(a.k.a., Mr. Donut and Gommie-Gommie)
If you get involved in the life of Central Church, you are sure to meet A.J. and Martha Walton. They have been members of Central for 30 years and are very active in church ministry.
A.J. was born in the small town of Nutbush, Tennessee. He declares that the two little churches in the town were so close together that when one congregation sang, "Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown?" the other congregation would answer, "No, Not One!"
A. J's parents, Roy Lee Walton and Eller Norine Walton, were farmers, and A.J. spent a number of his baby days on a blanket out in the fields. Their farmhouse was built upon concrete foundation blocks. Years after he was grown, he went back to visit and found that the house was gone, but some of the blocks were still there. "I saved one and brought it home and put it on our property. I tell people that it was under my old home," says A.J.
WW II brought changes to the Waltons, as it did for many people. With his daddy in the service overseas, the family, which now included a little sister, moved to Memphis. They lived near other family members (grandparents and aunts) in a cluster of small apartments so they would all be close enough to help each other. During those years it was difficult to find a place to live. Eventually, because they were soldier's dependants, they were able to rent an apartment at Lamar Terrace. A. J. was saved when he was nine at the Lamar Terrace Community Center. Child Evangelism Fellowship leaders who were teaching Bible stories to the children, led him to the Lord. A. J. remembers they used flannel boards and pictures to illustrate the stories. Later at home, he had a case of hiccups. He prayed, "Lord, if you're real, take my hiccups from me," and the Lord answered that little boy's prayer. "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
The Walton family's next move was to Wells Station where the whole family joined Wells Station Baptist Church. A.J. is the big brother of three sisters: June Walton, Sandra Walton Bryan, and Rosamary Walton Posey.
A.J. attended high school at Treadwell High School. He enlisted in and was an officer in the ROTC. After graduation, he enrolled in Memphis State where he joined Lambda Chi Alpha, a fraternity based on Christian principles. Through the years, A. J. maintained his connections with the fraternity and in 1988 he received the prestigious Order of Merit Award. This honor is awarded every two years to only ten men out of all the alumni in all the chapters in the United States. At the time A.J. received his award, only 233 men out of more that 250,000 alumni were considered worthy of that honor.
It was at Memphis State that A.J. made another important connection. At a Lambda Chi Alpha function he met another Memphis State student, a young lady that he immediately wanted to get to know better - her name? Martha Jackson. They liked each other right away. Martha says she went home and told her mom, "I just met the neatest guy." And he thought she was pretty neat too. A.J. asked Martha out on a date; they continued dating others for a while, but it wasn't long until they knew they could stop looking - they had found the right person. Any doubts were settled by A.J.'s six months in the Army Reserves. They missed each other so much, that they did not want to be apart anymore. A.J. proposed and Martha accepted. Martha graduated in May, and they were married on July 25, 1964. That was 42 years ago.
Martha Jackson Walton was born at Baptist Hospital in downtown Memphis to William Hiram Jackson and Martha Andrews Jackson. Her mother had prayed, "Lord if we can only have one child, please send us a girl. If I can have more - a boy." "When I came," says Martha, "she knew I would be the only one."
Martha began her school days at Messick; she continued at Messick through high school graduation. Then she was on to Memphis State where she prepared for a career in teaching. Her first job was teaching Home Economics at Colonial Junior High. One of her projects was for her students to take a box and decorate and furnish it to look like a room in a house. Then she and the students took the boxes to St. Peter's Orphanage to give to the children there to use as dollhouses. In Martha's clothing unit, the students made clothes, then modeled their creations
in a fashion show for their families and friends. They even had judges and prizes.
When Martha and A.J. were married, they wanted children, but for a while, no little ones arrived to complete their family. They prayed and were blessed to adopt Adell who was just five weeks old. They call her their special adopted love. They continued to pray, and 2 ½ years later, Martha gave birth to Becky, who they call their prayer baby.
When the girls were four and two, Martha went through a period of depression that was the greatest challenge of her life. A.J., family, and church friends were praying for her. She went to her physician, then to a psychiatrist, but neither was able to help her. Later, a psychologist entered the picture and things changed dramatically for the better. He taught Martha how to express herself and learn to "talk it out." She says, "I had tried to get well by being a better Christian, reading my Bible, etc. But ultimately, it was the Lord Who healed me in His timing - and in His way." Martha had spent all of her life going to church, but in 1975, there was a difference. While participating in Bible Study Fellowship, she experienced a change in her heart and life. "I know that's when He became my Lord and Savior," Martha declares with gratitude. "The deepest desire of my heart is to be in the center of God's will and a witness for His glory, and to be a Godly role model for our grandchildren," says Martha.
The Lord used this experience to enable her to help others who are experiencing depression. She is currently training in the Lay Counseling Ministry. Upon completion of the course, she will have a certificate from the American Association of Christian Counselors. Her advice to young people is, "In life we have good times and bad times. When you have bad times, seek counsel from someone who has Godly wisdom and who cares about you."
Martha was a stay-at-home mom when their girls were little. Now they are all grown up. Adell makes her home in Atlanta where she is the office manager and assistant for a chiropractor. Becky and her husband, John Thomas, live in Arlington, Tennessee with their four children. They have three daughters: Ainsley, 6, Abby, 4, and Emma, 2. Last but surely not least is their son, Will, 8 months. It was Ainsley who gave Martha the name Gommie-Gommie. When she was just learning to talk, she tried to say Grandmommie and Gommie-Gommie is what came out. And it was so cute that, of course, the name stuck.
Martha eventually reentered the world of teaching at Evangelical Christian School where she taught Home Ec. Then in 1994, she joined the Bartlett High School faculty teaching Family and Consumer Science. That course includes: Family, Parenting, Housing and Interiors, and Textiles and Clothing. That covers a lot of territory!
Martha has been at Bartlett High for twelve years and is looking forward to another new school year. It probably helps that she and A.J. work in the same school at least part of the time. These days, A.J. is retired from his insurance business, but stays busy as a substitute teacher for Bartlett and Arlington schools. They have been such a witness of loving, Christian marriage that the student newspaper staff at Bartlett High School chose the Waltons as their "Valentine Couple of the Year!" There was an article with pictures in the school newspaper and that led to an interview and article in the Commercial Appeal, and a proclamation in their honor from the Tennessee House of Representatives.
Martha is active in the Women's Ministry serving as Chairman in 1986-87. She is on the Advisory Board, a member of the Church Staff Circle, and serves as a hostess for dinners and special events. In 2005, she went on Central's mission trip to Ecuador. Martha says, "It changed my life. It gave me a new boldness to witness to others. It increased my awareness of those who don't know Christ and my desire to share with them. When I came back, I considered my school my Ecuador." And she shares her life with her husband of 42 years, Mr. Donut.
A.J. is on the Men's Breakfast Committee and is chairman of Evangelism for the Men's Ministry. Last year he was diagnosed with cancer, but he reports that he is doing well. "Central Church, our family, and our friends were very encouraging at that time. They supported us with their prayers and ministered to us," say A.J. and Martha.
Awhile back, he felt led into another special activity. Some may not realize it is a ministry - but for A.J. it is, and it's the source of his nickname - Mr. Donut. He sells donuts in the chapel mall at the Cluster Fellowship. He has many opportunities to share the love of Jesus - like singing Happy Birthday to the children on their birthdays. Also, he has chances to witness and even led one person to the Lord. Last year when A.J. was on chemo, someone wrote him a note that said, "You're changing the world, one donut at a time." Volunteers, Myrna Colon and Bob Jones work with him; Lumi Colon and Annalee Smith are his youth helpers. Steve Murray and "Mrs. Donut" help out during rush times, but A.J. says, "We're always looking for more volunteers."
In addition, these two are small group shepherds, are active in the Emmaus Community and attend Rev. Sam Wiley's Sunday School class. WOW!
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