Martha Marie [Norris] Green 1933-2011

JONES, NORRIS, GREEN, ZIMMERMAN, EIDERS, LONG, KUHFUS, EASTON, KLEVER, HANCOCK, KELLY, BARNETT, PETERS, WOLFE, YOUNG

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 1/6/2012 at 10:13:23

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa December 28, 2011)

GREEN, Martha Marie, 78, of Lamoni, Iowa, died on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 23, 2011 at Slade-O'Donnell Funeral Home in Leon, Iowa with Rev. Max Carmichael officiating. Burial was held in the Elk Cemetery, west of Decatur, Iowa.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa December 28, 2011)

MARTHA MARIE GREEN ... Martha Marie Green, age 78 of Lamoni, Iowa, the daughter of William Louis and Mary Opal [Jones] Norris, was born January 13, 1933 in Decatur County, Iowa. She died at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday, December 20, 2011.

On December 9, 1950, in a snow storm, Martha married Richard Harold Green in Eldora, Iowa. She and Dick lived most of their married life in Decatur County, Iowa. They worked hard and raised their family. Martha worked at an ice cream shop in Lamoni before starting as a seamstress at O'Bryan Brothers in Leon in 1967. She retired in 1988.

Martha was a baptized member of Calvary Baptist Church in Leon. It was wonderful to hear her sing solos for church. Her favorite was "The Old Rugged Cross Made the Difference". She enjoyed sewing anything and was a wonderful cook. She fed anyone who came to her home. She also enjoyed playing cards and especially loved "Dummy Rummy"!

Martha and Dick enjoyed camping and held a membership at Cutty's Campground where Martha helped organize yearly family reunions. They also traveled to Oklahoma frequently for family get-togethers and took a camping trip to Canada to fish, along with Dick's brother, Ralph. Summertime family vacations wee often spent on a lake in Minnesota fishing as much as possible! Their biggest dream fulfilled was their trip to Alaska in 1988 with grandson Jim.

Music was a big part of Martha's life and both she and Dick instilled that love of music in all of their girls. Anytime family gathered at their house they often ended up around the piano with any instrument at hand joining in. Any song was fair game, but ultimately hymns were the favorites.

Martha deeply loved her grand kids and great grand kids and loved attending their games and events. Wonderful memories were made when Grandma was in the stands or the audience.

Preceding her in death were her parents; husband Dick on September 24, 2010; sisters, Carole Zimmerman and Velma Eiders; brother Larry Norris; brothers-in-law, Gary Long, Charles Kuhfus, Gary Easton, and Herb Zimmerman; sister-in-law Joyce Norris; and great granddaughter Ashley Lynn Klever.

Survivors include her five daughters, Colleen & Russ Hancock of Rochester, Minnesota, Deb & Dennis Klever of Manhattan, Kansas, Janet & Bob Kelly of Lamoni, Letitia & Les Barnett of New Providence, Iowa, and Angie Green and Friend Steve of Lamoni; 29 grandchildren with spouses; 37, plus one on the way, great grandchildren; her first great great grandchild expected soon; siblings Sherry & David Peters of Leon, Bob Norris and friend Shirley of Humeston, Iowa, Kaye Easton of Kellerton, Iowa, Bill & Jeanne Norris of Chariton, Iowa, Helen & Ed Wolfe of Azusa, California, and Mary Kuhfus of Iowa Falls, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Alice Norris of St. Joseph, Missouri, Pauline Young of Creston, Iowa Ellie Cornett of Mason City, Iowa; brothers-in-law, Neil Green and wife Donna Jean of Davis City, Iowa and Elmer Green and wife Tosh of Lamoni; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.