Martha Zoellers Kim

Martha Zoellers Kim, 90, of Abilene, passed away peacefully at home on September 14, 2017 in Abilene. A memorial service is planned at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 525 Beech St., in Abilene, on Tuesday September 19, at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow at the Church. Services are under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene. Martha was born in Fariston, Kentucky on the farm of her grandparents on August 3, 1927. She attended school in the local one room schoolhouse through grammar school, and then attended high school in Hazard, Kentucky where she was the valedictorian of her high school class in 1945. Martha earned her bachelor's degree at Berea College in Kentucky where she studied math and physics. Martha met her husband, Thomas K. Kim, over an ice cream freezer at a college social at Berea College. They soon married, and moved to New Orleans where Tom was beginning a doctoral program in economics at Tulane University. After completing his degree the couple moved to Ohio for Tom's first teaching job where their first child, Lawrence Thomas Kim, was born. They traveled next to Kansas where their daughter, Catherine Ann Kim Fowlkes, was born. Soon after, they moved to Lubbock, Texas where Tom taught at Texas Tech University. In 1970, the family moved to Abilene where Tom held the position of President of McMurry University for the next 23 years. During this time, Martha's passion and talent for cooking and taking care of people became very important. She embraced her role as hostess for countless student groups, faculty and board events at the home where she prepared and organized all the meals herself. She was famous for her bread which she loved to share with her friends and her church. She was devoted to her beloved St. Paul United Methodist Church, where she spent countless hours in the kitchen cooking for church events or working on the church garage sale. She was also a passionate bridge player which she continued until recently. Martha remained an avid sports fan, growing up on Kentucky basketball and developing a love for football after moving to Texas. Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas K. Kim of Abilene; two brothers, C.A. Zoellers of Hazard, Kentucky, and Bill Zoellers of Pikeville, Kentucky; and a sister, Catherine Moseley of Madisonville, Kentucky. Martha is survived by son, Larry Kim (and wife, Nicky Kim) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, daughter, Cathy Kim Fowlkes (and husband, Barry Fowlkes) of Abilene, and six grandchildren: Spencer Kim, Erik Kim, Phoebe Kim, Parker Fowlkes, Adrian Fowlkes and Zoe Fowlkes. Memorials may be given to St. Paul United Methodist Church, McMurry University, or the United Methodist Food Pantry.