Martin Harpole

Wayman 'Martin' Harpole of West Point, MS, peacefully passed away on Monday, February 12, 2024, at the age of 83. He was born in Maben, MS, on September 20, 1940, to Sara Louise Martin Harpole and Wayman Belton Harpole. His delivery was assisted by his physician grandfather, Dr. Belton Harpole, “Daddy Doc” as Martin and his brothers called him. Martin graduated from Maben High School and attended Wood Junior College and Mississippi State University. He and his down the highway neighbor, Sandra Hester Harpole, were married in 1964. Martin joined the Mississippi National Guard in 1963 and remained friends with his guardsmen, united by stories told from assisting with relief efforts on the Mississippi Gulf Coast following Hurricane Camille. A forty-five year employee of Bryan Foods, he began work there in the Boning Room before moving to Sales. With dry wit and infectious humor, Martin made friends in all parts of the country as he sold many, many tons of Bryan products. He later was in charge of pork production until the time the plant closed. Even though Martin was a night owl, he would be roused out of bed with much effort on Sandra’s part at 4:00 AM to get to the plant to determine pork production for each day. He loved Bryan Foods and his coworkers and had many great stories to tell of his colleagues and his time with the company. Martin loved his daughter and his grandchildren. He and Sandra traveled many miles throughout the country and to Germany to watch them play football, basketball, soccer, and run track. He was so proud of his daughter and each of the grandchildren with their successes on and off the field and court. When asked each week in Sunday school how he was doing his reply was always “Road Ready.” And he truly was ready to go. He and Sandra enjoyed many trips through the years and made many treasured memories. A bass fisherman and a golfer, Martin found buying equipment more thrilling than fishing or the game itself. He was known for having “a lot of stuff’” including three saddles even though he had not had a horse for many years. He loved watching old westerns, hunting, wood carving, and reading westerns and history. He was a member of Maben Methodist Church and attended First Baptist Church in West Point. He thoroughly enjoyed his Sunday School class and outings with them and their spouses. Martin is preceded in death by his parents, Sara Martin and Wayman Belton Harpole; and a brother, Jerry Belton Harpole. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Sandra H. Harpole; daughter, Sara Beth Harpole Proffitt of Columbus; granddaughter, Margaret Banks Proffitt of Clinton; grandsons, McKellar Proffitt of Charleston, SC, and Reuben Proffitt of Columbus; brother, Terry Harpole of Maben.

 Services will be on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at 10:00 AM at First Baptist Church, West Point, MS, with visitation from 9-10 AM at the church. Interment will be at Maben Memorial Garden following the service. Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice. Robinson Funeral Home in West Point is assisting the family with arrangements.