Martha McBlain 1902-1978

MCBLAIN, MILLER, MARLOWE, SCHRAEDER, BOGER, LESTER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 4/29/2008 at 06:12:24

Hold McBlain services

Services for Martha McBlain, 76, were held Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Smith Eastside Funeral Home with the Rev. Philip J. Ramstad officiating. She died in University Hospitals Sept. 30.

Organist was Mrs. Julia Pearce. Casket-beareres were Charles Barnham, Fred Capers, Jerry Carter, Charles Lester, Gary Wilkinson and Jim White.

Burial was in Hazelwood Cemetery.

The family suggests memorials be made to the Grinnell General Hospital coronary care unit.

Born Jan. 23, 1902, she was the daughter of David and Emma Miller McBlain. She attended Grinnell Schools and graduated from Grinnell College in 1924.

She taught high school English in Austin, Minn., before returning to Grinnell in 1930 to operate the McBlain Greenhouse for many years. She was a floral designer for Wayside Floral Shop and in recent months for Bates Flower Shop.

She was a member of the United Church of Christ Congregational in Grinnell and the Grinnell College Alumni Association.

Survivors include her sister, Mrs. Hesper McBlain Marlowe of Grinnell; a nephew, David Marlowe of Charlotte, Ia.; a cousin, Mrs. Jean Schraeder of Grinnell; and four foster children; Mrs. William (Gladys) Boger of Des Moines; Robert Lester and Mary Lou Lester both of Tucson, Ariz., Charles Lester of Grinnell, and 14 foster grandchildren.
~ Unnamed Grinnell Newspaper, Oct 5, 1978.