Official Obituary of
Fern Luella Martin
September 26, 1915 ~ November 3, 2015 (age 100) 100 Years Old
Fern Martin Obituary
Fern Luella Martin, 100, of Hannibal, Mo. went to be with her Lord in her Heavenly home at 6:46 a.m. Tuesday, November 3, 2015, at Hannibal Regional Hospital.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 6, 2015, at Westside Christian Church in Hannibal. Bro. Stanley McCreary will officiate. Burial will follow in the Grand View Burial Park.
Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the Smith Funeral Home & Chapel, in Hannibal.
Fern was born September 26, 1915, in Stewartsville, Mo. the daughter of Omar and Phebe Tyre Sample.
She was united in marriage to Rev. Elba Martin on January 14, 1934. He preceded her in death on March 31, 1996.
Mrs. Martin is survived by two daughters, Shirley Martin and Ruth Ellison and husband Richard of Hannibal, Mo; three grandchildren, Leslie O'Brien and husband Dave of Palmyra, Mo., Jill Maple and husband David, Richie Ellison and wife Karla of Hannibal, Mo; four great grandchildren, Michael, Matthew and Anna Maple, and Alex O'Brien; two step great grandchildren, Tyler and Ayden Kincaid; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Martin was preceded in death by two brothers, Donald and Truman Sample and three sisters, Thelma Swearingin, Pauline Demming and Opal Cornelius.
Fern and her husband Elba began serving churches in northwestern Missouri a few months after they were united in marriage. Fern played the piano for her husband's first sermon and every service after that. After serving the Clarence Christian Church in Clarence, Missouri, Fern and Elba moved to Grayson, Kentucky where they both attended Kentucky Christian University. After Elba graduated from college they moved back to Clarence in 1948, and served once again the Christian church there until 1951, when they accepted the ministry position at South Side Christian Church in Hannibal. In 1965 the Martins started the Lindell Ave. Christian Church and served there until 1977. In July 1977, they started the
Westside Christian Church in Hannibal.
Mrs. Martin played piano and later the organ for all her husband's services. Elba was also well known for his gospel singing with Fern as his accompanist. She also taught Sunday School, VBS, and youth group classes at all the churches they served. Fern also spent many summers cooking for the White Oak Christian Service Camp in Moberly, Mo. and the Shelby County Christian Camp in Clarence, Mo.
Along with helping her husband in the ministry, Fern started working in housekeeping at Luther Manor Nursing Home at the age of sixty one. She later retired after fifteen years of service.
Mrs. Martin enjoyed cooking and baking, her specialties being homemade noodles and pies. She also enjoyed gardening, canning, sewing and crocheting. Fern's real joy was her family and helping raise her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who were the shining lights in her life.
Pallbearers will be Richard Ellison, Richie Ellison, Dave O'Brien, David Maple, Michael Maple and Matthew Maple.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Alex O'Brien, Tyler Kincaid, and Ayden Kincaid.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Westside Christian Church or Shiloh Christian Children's Ranch, in care the Smith Funeral Home and Chapel.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 6, 2015, at Westside Christian Church in Hannibal. Bro. Stanley McCreary will officiate. Burial will follow in the Grand View Burial Park.
Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the Smith Funeral Home & Chapel, in Hannibal.
Fern was born September 26, 1915, in Stewartsville, Mo. the daughter of Omar and Phebe Tyre Sample.
She was united in marriage to Rev. Elba Martin on January 14, 1934. He preceded her in death on March 31, 1996.
Mrs. Martin is survived by two daughters, Shirley Martin and Ruth Ellison and husband Richard of Hannibal, Mo; three grandchildren, Leslie O'Brien and husband Dave of Palmyra, Mo., Jill Maple and husband David, Richie Ellison and wife Karla of Hannibal, Mo; four great grandchildren, Michael, Matthew and Anna Maple, and Alex O'Brien; two step great grandchildren, Tyler and Ayden Kincaid; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Martin was preceded in death by two brothers, Donald and Truman Sample and three sisters, Thelma Swearingin, Pauline Demming and Opal Cornelius.
Fern and her husband Elba began serving churches in northwestern Missouri a few months after they were united in marriage. Fern played the piano for her husband's first sermon and every service after that. After serving the Clarence Christian Church in Clarence, Missouri, Fern and Elba moved to Grayson, Kentucky where they both attended Kentucky Christian University. After Elba graduated from college they moved back to Clarence in 1948, and served once again the Christian church there until 1951, when they accepted the ministry position at South Side Christian Church in Hannibal. In 1965 the Martins started the Lindell Ave. Christian Church and served there until 1977. In July 1977, they started the
Westside Christian Church in Hannibal.
Mrs. Martin played piano and later the organ for all her husband's services. Elba was also well known for his gospel singing with Fern as his accompanist. She also taught Sunday School, VBS, and youth group classes at all the churches they served. Fern also spent many summers cooking for the White Oak Christian Service Camp in Moberly, Mo. and the Shelby County Christian Camp in Clarence, Mo.
Along with helping her husband in the ministry, Fern started working in housekeeping at Luther Manor Nursing Home at the age of sixty one. She later retired after fifteen years of service.
Mrs. Martin enjoyed cooking and baking, her specialties being homemade noodles and pies. She also enjoyed gardening, canning, sewing and crocheting. Fern's real joy was her family and helping raise her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who were the shining lights in her life.
Pallbearers will be Richard Ellison, Richie Ellison, Dave O'Brien, David Maple, Michael Maple and Matthew Maple.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Alex O'Brien, Tyler Kincaid, and Ayden Kincaid.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Westside Christian Church or Shiloh Christian Children's Ranch, in care the Smith Funeral Home and Chapel.
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