Lena Rebecca Martin, 104, of Memphis died Wednesday, July 13, 2015 at her home.
She was born the daughter of George and Lillie (Harbison) Snodgrass on March 22, 1912 in Scotland County, near Downing.
Lena married Glen Franklin Martin on November 3, 1934. He preceded her in death on December 6, 1979.
The Martins lived on a farm north of Memphis for many years. He farmed and raised registered Black Angus cattle along with sheep. Glen also sheared sheep over a large area of Scotland County. Lena loved gardening and canning vegetables. One year the tomatoes did so well that she canned over 100 quarts of tomatoes and tomato juice. This was done on an oil cook stove. She also loved raising chickens for frying and eggs.
They moved to Memphis when Glen’s health began to fail. Lena missed her life on the farm, but began making quilts to pass the time. She later began making lap robes of the crazy quilt pattern and everybody wanted one. She was going to put a border and binding on one to be used as a baby quilt but passed away before getting it finished. She made 67 lap robes in five years.
Lena lived in the Scotland County Residential Care Facility for two years after breaking her arm. There she took therapy to restore her balance and made lots of friends with the residents and their families, including one special friend – Frances Jane Craig – who invited her to have popcorn every Saturday evening. She mentioned it to friends and family how much she enjoyed that each week.
She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brother, Victor and wife Cecil (Simerl) Snodgrass; sisters, Elma and husband Athol Smith, Freda and husband Fern Lay, Nellie and husband Don Duley; sisters and brothers-in-law Edith (Martin) and husband Floyd Drummond, Rosetta (Martin) and husband Harold; a brother-in-law, John Martin; nephews, Charles Smith, Jimmy Smith, Johnny and wife Linda (Overfield) Smith, Richard Lay, Roy Dean Drummond, Ray Dean Drummond, and Darrell Drummond, Vern Oscar Hornback, and Junior Anderson.
She is survived by her daughter, Ruby (Martin) Brown-Jimenez; grandchildren, Charles and wife Rosa Brown, Lili Blake-Shook, and Randy Brown and special friend, Sheila Kraxner; seven great grandchildren; three step great grandchildren; 11 great-great grandchildren; nephews, Johnny Smith and his children, Mike and his wife Kim Smith and his sister, Kim Smith, Sam and wife Colene Lay and their sons; Phil and wife Diane Duley and family, Delbert Drummond; niece Betty Hornback Anderson and family; her nephews wife Dixie Drummond and her family; many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m., Friday, July 15 at the Gerth Funeral Chapel in Memphis with burial in the Memphis Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Barker Cemetery, Campground Cemetery or Hospice of Northeast Missouri and can be left at or mailed to the Gerth Funeral Service, 115 S. Main, Memphis, MO 63555.
