By Sarrah Peters, News Editor
Martha Brothers has been working at Gadsden Eye Associates for almost 27 years. She currently is Dr. Tony Catanzaro’s secretary. Now, at age 80, Brothers is retiring.
“I praise God for allowing me to work at Gadsden Eye Associates for almost 27 wonderful years,” said Brothers.
Brothers said that she has enjoyed working at Gadsden Eye Associates.
“Dr. Catanzaro is my chosen son and his family is like my family,” said Brothers. “They are all wonderful people. Dr. Dabbs, Dr. Grissett, Dr. Hill, Dr. Clokey and Dr. Blount are all wonderful doctors. They all have been wornderful to me. I appreciate each and every one of them. The staff and office managers have been great. I will miss everybody.”
Brothers is retiring at the request of her children, though she also prayed on the decision.
“My children wanted me to retire when I became 80, and I asked and got his okay,” said Brothers. “So I will be leaving February 1.”
Brothers includes God in all parts of her life. She reads a chapter of the Bible and prays every morning before getting out of bed. She’s read the Bible all the way through 28 times. Brothers has taught Sunday School at Concord Baptist Church for 59 years. She relies on God to get her through tough times.
“I am depending on God,” said Brothers. “He always keeps his promises!”
Brothers lost her husband to a sudden heart attack at a young age. She was left with three children, ages 2, 8 and 11, and no insurance. But her faith in God got her through the hard times. She started working, and eventually ended up at Gadsden Eye Associates. She remarried Mr. Brothers 12 years after the loss of her first husband. He has since passed away as well.
Brothers has a unique way to talk to God. She will pray for strength or about a decision that has been weighing on her, like retiring and wait for God’s response, which comes in the form of butterflies.
“To me, butterflies are the Holy Spirit,” said Brothers.
When praying about whether it was the right to time for her to retire, a butterfly landed on Brothers, which she took as an affirmative answer. Now that she is retiring, Brothers hopes to do God’s will, which will include continuing to teach Sunday School and maybe Christian writings.
“Someone asked me what I was going to do when I retired and I said I will wake up every morning and ask God what we are going to do today,” said Brothers.
In her free time, Brothers likes to garden and visit with family. In the next few months, she will be celebrating the weddings of two of her granddaughters.