Martha Sporleder

SPORLEDER, PATTEN, BILLOTTE, JACOBS

Posted By: Dale Sporleder (email)
Date: 4/2/2007 at 18:24:18

Martha Sporleder. Martha Sporleder, 92, died Tuesday, March 18 at Shady Oaks Retirement Home, Lake City. Funeral services were held at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Lake City, with Rev. Erwin Asmus officiating. Burial was in Lake City Cemetery. Martha Lillian Patten was born September 7, 1910 in rural northeast Carroll County. In 1923, her family moved to a farm near Lamar, Nebraska. In October 1927, her mother died unexpectedly and the family returned to Iowa to live with her grandparents, Albert and Mary Patten. Martha became the surrogate mother for her eight younger brothers. She was united in marriage to Ernest Sporleder on September 16, 1930. They farmed in Calhoun County until 1938 when they moved to a farm near Fonda. They lived in the Fonda area until 1955, when they moved to a farm near Auburn. Martha took an active role in their farming operations all her life in addition to raising her five children. They moved to Lake City upon retirement in 1974. In recent years she lived at Shady Oaks Care Center in Lake City. During the Second World War, Martha frequently corresponded with her father and eight brothers who were on active duty in the Navy. She received the Presidential Emblem of Honor and a letter from President Franklin D. Roosevelt in recognition of the Patten family’s contributions during the War. Martha’s interests included gardening, needlework, and fishing trips with her husband. She was an active member of Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Lake City. In recent years, she enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence Floyd Sr. and Anna (Billotte) Patten; infant sister Hazel; brothers Gilbert, Marvin, Clarence Floyd, Jr., and Ray Patten; and grandson Jon Sporleder. Survivors include her husband Ernest Sporleder of Lake City; daughter Ann Jacobs and husband Reverend Robert Jacobs of Naples, Florida; sons Henry Sporleder and wife Jennifer of Lake City, Elmer Sporleder and wife Mary of Lake City, Dale Sporleder and wife Linda of Carmel, Indiana, and Duane Sporleder and wife Deborah of Lake City; ten grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and brothers Allen Patten of Anchorage, Alaska, Myrne (‘Ted’) Patten of Lake City, Bruce Patten of Battle Ground, Washington, and Wayne Patten of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Lake City Graphic