Kathleen Martin

KATHLEEN (WHITE) MARTIN

Monticello

Kathleen (White) Martin entered into the presence of her Savior Jesus Christ on April 22, 2016. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday April 28, at Goettsch Funeral Home in Monticello with visitation from noon until 1:15 p.m. the same day. Kathleen chose to participate in the University of Iowa Deeded Body program for the Carver College of Medicine. Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.

Kathleen was born Oct. 5, 1927, just in time to experience life during the Great Depression of the 1930s. She was the second of three children born to Gordon and Ethel (Bryant) White, who managed to make their living on a humble farmstead in Calloway County, Mo. Although life was hard and basic provisions were sometimes scarce, Kathleen would later recall how happy their home was. From her perspective they didn't think of themselves as poor because everyone they knew was experiencing the same challenges.

In May 1948, Kathleen married Harvey Martin. He had returned to his beloved state of Missouri after the war and met Kathleen. In the early years of their marriage, Kathleen encouraged him to pursue a career in education administration.

In her later years as Kathleen reflected upon the joyful days of her childhood, she would write short stories about those experiences. But by far the most meaningful story she ever told was about her discovery of a gospel tract left in a room by an aunt who had come to live with her family for a short time. Although Kathleen was only eight, she remembered how moved she was by the story of a Savior who gave his life for sinners. At that early age Kathleen put her faith in Jesus Christ and continued to follow Him for the rest of her life. She taught many Bible studies, from Sunday school classes to a women's prison ministry, and prayed faithfully for others. She was deeply involved in Berean Bible Church of Monticello. She had been an active member of P.E.O., '94 Club and Questers.

Kathleen is survived by her sons, Mike (Susan) and Jeff (Terri); grandchildren, Tim and Emily (fiance Jonathan Thielman); one sister-in-law, Loreen Ratliff; and various nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harvey; her parents; her brother, Ray; sister, Lola; Harvey's parents; and her brothers and sisters-in-law.