Shirley Martin

SHIRLEY MARTIN

Cedar Rapids

Shirley Ann Martin went to be with her Lord on Monday, June 22, 2015, while at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. Her service will be 1 p.m. Monday, June 29, at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, located at 6621 C Ave. NE, in Cedar Rapids. Pastor Damian Epps will officiate. Family will receive guests beginning at noon Monday at Mount Zion. Burial will follow at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

She leaves to cherish her memory her children, Sarah Martin, Artrice Martin, Charrisse Cox, Tyrone Martin and Lisa Coleman; her siblings, Mildred Hunt and Anthony Davis; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other relatives.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Gladys Davis; siblings, Ethel, Mary Lee, Josephine, Gladys Ruth, Eugene Jr. and Charles; and daughters, Debora Simmons and Tracy Walker.

Shirley was born Oct. 26, 1942, in Opelika, Ala., the daughter of Eugene and Gladys Stinson Davis. Shirley moved to Chicago with her family at a young age. She married Otris Martin in 1959 and raised all seven of her children in Chicago while working as a nurse's aide at Mount Sinai Medical Center.

In 1980, she moved to Iowa, where she worked in the home healthcare field. Shirley later graduated from Kirkwood Community College as a non-traditional student, with an associate degree in applied science. Upon graduation, she began working as a medical records technician at Mercy Medical Center.

Shirley was a longtime member of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, where she worked in several ministries. Later in life she went to live with her daughter, Sarah Martin, in Flossmoor, Ill., who cared for her for several years. She returned to Cedar Rapids a short time ago.

Her passion was caring for others, whether that meant making sure people always had a meal to eat or a place to lay their head at night.

Shirley Ann Martin was a loving mother, grandmother and friend who will be missed by all who knew her.