Martha Rice Harris Letz

RICE, HARRIS, LETZ, MYERS, NEWTON, LUNSFORD, WALDORF, BOWERS

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 6/1/2006 at 07:57:37

Earlham Library Obituary Collection
2002

Former Earlham resident Martha Letz passed away on Jan. 24th at Tendercare Nursing Home in Clare, Mich. Memorial services will be held at the Earlham Cemetery when her ashes are buried next to her husband, Vern Harris. Interment will be scheduled and announced at a later date.

Martha was born to Christopher C. and Carrie H. Rice on March 24, 1914 in Kellogg, Iowa. She spent her early years growing up in the Kellogg area and moved to Earlham in 1932 when she was 18 to live with her aunt and uncle, Emma and Ed Tough, and work in their cafe.

She married Vern Harris on April 11, 1936, and they moved to Grinnell for seven years. In 1943 they moved to California where they resided until 1948 when they returned to Earlham to care for Vern's father, Lee Harris. Vern passed away in 1968. Martha married long-time Earlham resident Don Letz in 1971. Don passed away in 1980.

Martha moved to California to be near her daughter and family in 1986 and lived there until 2000 when she moved to Michigan where her daughter now resides.

Home was Earlham for Martha no matter where she lived. She had worked in the grocery store for years and was known and well liked by all.

Surviving are her daughter Rita Myers and husband Ron of Harrison, Mich.; three grandchildren, Kristine Newton and husband Randy of Lemoore, Calif., Michael Myers of Kent, Iowa, and Karin Lunsford and husband Rick of Shaker Heights, Ohio; and three great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Lucille Waldorf of Mitchellville and Emma Bowers of Newton.