MARTIN, Sheryl Sue

MARTIN, HILL, SMITH, VEACHZG

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 5/24/2020 at 09:10:04

Sheryl "Sherry" Sue Martin

Sheryl Sue Martin of Garden Grove, Iowa, the daughter of Robert William and Ruby Lea (Hill) Smith, was born October 2, 1951, in Georgia. She left this life on May 19, 2020, at age 68, at Mercy One Hospital, Des Moines, Iowa.

Sherry, as she was known, was born in Fort McPherson Army Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. After her dad’s discharge from the Army the family moved to Garden Grove, Iowa when she was a year old. She attended school there until 9th grade. They moved north of Leon where she graduated from Central Decatur High School in Leon, Iowa in 1970.

Sherry was married to Lowell Collins Veach in 1970. They were blessed with one son, Tony. Tony was truly the light of her life. She worked at the grocery store in Garden Grove and the Red Wing Café at the Leon Sale Barn. She was hired as the assistant postmaster in Garden Grove and worked until Postmaster Kucera retired at which time Sherry became the Postmaster. She held that position for 37 years and retired in 2012.

On August 31, 1984, she married Donald Dennis Martin at the High Point United Methodist Church. They made their home in Garden Grove until 1999, when they moved to Kobville Hill just west of Garden Grove.

Sherry loved being outdoors, watching the grandkids activities - cheerleading, wrestling tournaments, softball and baseball games, and 4-H events, working on arts and crafts, and helping with Jacob’s Eagle Scout project. She kept a large flower and rock garden where grandkids and nieces were invited to take a rock home. She loved traveling in the semi across the country, vacationing, and watching the horses and cattle down the hill from the house. She and Dennis fed hundreds of hummingbirds each summer from their front deck. She really enjoyed having a mowed yard and clean fence rows – although getting that done was something she enjoyed less. In the timber south of the house, she liked to hang out in the Cove and Birthday Hill. She liked taking Ranger rides with the grandkids and great grandkids at Jacob’s Creek and Ashley’s Meadows – named for Tony’s kids.

She was a member of PEO and the Garden Grove Community Club and organized the annual Music Fest. She led the effort to have an annual weekend celebration in Garden Grove. She led beautification committees, and she made sure the local kids could celebrate Halloween. She was a 4-H and Cub Scout leader and worked the Leon Rodeo’s food stand for many years.

She attended Calvary Baptist Church in Leon. When the last church in Garden Grove closed, she and Dennis drove the bus and picked up several kids, took them to church, and out for ice cream every Sunday. She made it possible for many of those kids to go to camp and other church activities.

Preceding her in death were her grandparents, Charles and Margaret Smith and Delia and Ray Hill; her dad, Bob Smith; and nephew, Justin Smith.

Those who will miss her the most are her husband, Dennis Martin of Garden Grove; their children, Tony Veach (Rachel), Lancer Martin (Tiffani), and Shawni (Scott) Hord, all of Leon; grandchildren, Ashley (Tony) Young, Jake Veach (Jennifer), Steven and Sara Campbell, Madison, Alyssa, Braxten Martin, Alex, A.J., and Ace Edwards, and Jon and Sydney Hord; great grandchildren, Brylie and Cabrey Dale, Lonan, Hunter, Mason, and Maggie Young, Isaiah Brunk, and Finley Reich; mother, Ruby Smith of Leon; siblings, Mark (Jodi) Smith of Leon, Cindy Smith (Stan) of Hull, Iowa, Charlene (David) Hoover of Leon, Scott Smith of West Des Moines, Iowa, Dan (Melissa) Smith of Leon, and Jason (Sandee) Smith of Van Wert, Iowa; many nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will take place at the Decatur County Fairgrounds at the shelter west of the Hampton Stage at 11 a.m. Friday, May 29, 2020, with Rev. Jerry McFerron and Rev. Max Carmichael officiating. Burial will be in the Leon Cemetery, Leon, Iowa. Social Distancing and the wearing of a Mask is encouraged. Arrangements were through the Slade – O’Donnell Funeral Home in Leon.

Memorials may be given to the Leon Food Pantry.

Slade-O'Donnell Funeral Home