Joann J. (Boelkes) MARTIN

MARTIN, BOELKES, MEYERS, THOMPSON, NUEHRING, BRANDT, WRIGHT

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/23/2007 at 00:19:52

Mason City Globe Gazette
Jan 1, 2003

ROWAN - Joann J. Martin, 69, of Rowan, passed away on Tuesday (Dec. 31, 2002) at her home in rural Rowan. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at the United Church of Rowan in Rowan with Pastor Janet Wearda officiating. Burial will take place in Graceland Cemetery, rural Rowan. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Dugger Ewing Funeral Home, 111 Luick Lane S., in Belmond, and will continue one hour prior to services on Saturday at the church.

Joann Junice Boelkes was born on Sept. 27, 1933, in Franklin County, Iowa, to parents Hilko and Lena (Meyers) Boelkes. She attended country school in Franklin County and later attended and graduated from Hansell High School in Hansell. Following graduation, Joann worked a variety of jobs, which included working for the Hensel Produce Company in Alexander, for Harris Cookbooks in Iowa Falls and for Hawk Golf Bags in Clarion. On March 18, 1956, Joann was united in marriage with Garold Martin in New York. The couple initially made their home farming near Hampton and later near Sheffield before settling on an acreage south of Alexander where they lived for 20 years. In 1983, Joann and Garold moved to Garold's home place near Rowan where they had lived ever since. Joann was a devoted homemaker and farmer's wife; she loved to tend to her family, friends and flowers. During her spare time, Joann enjoyed sewing, quilting, playing cards and especially gardening. She was a member of the United Church of Rowan where she participated in quilting every Monday afternoon and where she had been the church board secretary for some time. Joann was also a member of the Blaine Friendship Club in Dows.

Survivors include her daughter, Rachelle Thompson and her husband, Tom, of Hampton: her son, Richard Martin and his wife, Kathy, of Livermore; two grandchildren, Joshua Martin and Alexander Thompson; five stepgrandchildren, Christine, Judy, Tracy, Jami, and Kyle; six stepgreat-grandchildren, Kevin, Kyle, Casey, Katlin, Heidi and Jacob; sisters, Jeanette Nuehring of Mason City, Helen Brandt of Bradford, Iowa, Irene Boelkes of Eagle Grove and Edna Wright and her husband, George, of Hampton; brothers, Joe Boelkes of Hampton and Walter Boelkes of Jefferson City, Mo.; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Garold, in 1997; a daughter, Debbie Dee Martin; and two brothers, Ernest and Herman Boelkes. Dugger Ewing Funeral Home, (641) 444-3248.