Martha Vyrlee (Coulter) Mendenhall (2018)

ADKINS, COULTER, HADLEY, MENDENHALL, SKAHILL

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:03:26

The Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Monday, May 21, 2018
Page 4, Columns 4 & 5

Martha Vyrlee (Coulter) Mendenhall was born on February 2, 1927 in rural Linden, the daughter of Clarence and Myrle (Hadley) Coulter. Martha had been eagerly awaiting the day she would go home to Heaven, and she did so on May 14, 2018 at the age of 91 years. Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Thursday, May 17th at the Johnson Family Funeral Home—Dexter Chapel. Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M. Friday, May 18th at the Bear Creek Friends Church rural Earlham. Burial will follow the service in the Bear Creek Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bear Creek Friends Church and/or Hospice of Central Iowa and may be sent in care of Johnson Family Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Martha attended Hillside country school. She began high school in Earlham, later transferring to Redfield where she graduated with her sister Eloise in 1944. She then attended the American School of Beauty in Des Moines.

Upon graduating from beauty school, Martha opened her own shop in Earlham, later moving it to Redfield. She was always so proud of setting up her own business and running it on her own. She enjoyed her work and her many customers, but eventually began to develop allergic reactions to the solutions used for permanents. However, by that time she was ready to close her little shop and get married!

Martha and Charles Mendenhall were married at Bear Creek Friends Church on February 28, 1948. Two daughters, Linda and Karen made their family complete as they lived in the Bear Creek neighborhood for all their 58 years of marriage.

Martha was a very active and devoted member of Bear Creek Friends Church, serving in every capacity on committees and teaching positions throughout the years. Her faith, devotion, and knowledge of the Bible were an inspiration to all. She was the keeper of her family’s history, as well as that of the Bear Creek community. She could effortlessly recall names, dates, and events, always including an amusing anecdote delivered with her girlish giggle.

Martha was preceded in death and met in Heaven by many loved ones, including her parents, her husband Charles, her daughter and son-in-law Linda and Dick Adkins, and her sister Eloise.

She is survived by her devoted and loving daughter Karen, her beloved grandson Benjamin Charles Adkins and his wife Amy, and her two precious great-grandchildren Avery Sue and Charlie Thomas Adkins. Also cherishing Martha’s memory are her two brothers and their wives, Eldon and Marilyn Coulter and Marvin and Melanie Coulter, nephew Lance Coulter, nieces Juanita Coulter and Eldonna Skahill, and great-niece Emma Skahill. Several cousins and so many friends and neighbors have also been blessed by Martha’s life.

Martha’s sweet smile and gentle soul will be greatly missed, but always treasured.

Link to Memorial
 

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