Edith Merle Martin, 97, of Hooker, Oklahoma went home to be with her Lord, March 21, 2015 at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas.
Edith was born February 6, 1918 in Hilltop, Arkansas the daughter of Lewis and Euna (Lunsford) Hindman. Around the age of 8, Edith and her family traveled via covered wagon to Oklahoma. She attended school in the Carter 9, Pawhuska, Oklahoma area. She was the valedictorian of the Class of 1937.
She was united in marriage to Leonard Clarence Martin on September 7 in 1937. He worked his father’s farm. They lived in Kansas and Northeastern Oklahoma area. The first few years of their marriage they lived in a tent in the Sedan, Kansas area. In 1946 they moved to Alamota, Kansas where they farmed and ranched. During this time they had six children and Edith helped with the farm work. She cooked not only for her family but all the farm workers as well. She was a true farm wife of the period as she never had running water or indoor plumbing while living in Alamota.
In 1966 they moved to Hooker, Oklahoma, where Leonard worked at Master Feeders and Edith began to clean for and help several families and continued to do that well into her 70’s. In 1990, she moved into town and began serving and ministering at the United Methodist Church. She soon became famous for her cinnamon rolls, hot rolls, and her jelly and jams. She was loved by her community. She also made the communion bread for her church.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church, the UMW, cooked at the annual ground hog supper, Hooker Senior Citizens and helped with their Thanksgiving Dinner, worked at the All Faith Ministry, volunteered at the Hooker Chamber of Commerce office, she helped with feeding school children at the Monday Lunch Bunch at the church and feed college students at OPSU among many other activities.
Edith was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, son, Darrell Martin, daughter, Gladys Welch, one brother, Cecil Hindman, three sisters, Hazel Schenmann, Charlene Yacknot and Lois Hobbs.
Survivors include three sons, Howard Martin of Avant, Oklahoma, Doyle and his wife, Lola Martin of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Kenneth and his wife, Sheri Martin of Vilonia, Arkansas; one daughter, Betty and her husband, Dean Stewart of Elkhart, Kansas; two brothers, Alvin Hindman of Seattle, Washington, Leon Hindman of Garden City, Kansas; two sisters, Darlene Morton of Wagner, Oklahoma and Pauline Comfort of Dexter, Missouri; sixteen grandchildren, twenty-five great grandchildren, nineteen great great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at the United Methodist Church in Hooker with Rev. Les Bussell officiating. Roberts Brothers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the United Methodist Church or a charity of the donor’s choice and may be left at the Roberts Brothers Funeral Home, Box 745, Hooker, Oklahoma 73945.
Condolences may be left at www.robertsbrothersfuneralhome.com