Martha Mary Strong

MARTHA MARY STRONG

Belle Plaine

Martha Mary Strong, 93, of Belle Plaine, Iowa, passed away Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, at Belle Plaine Specialty Care, in Belle Plaine.

Services are 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018, at Hrabak-Neuhaus Funeral Service, Belle Plaine, with Pastor Charles Johnson officiating.

Visitation is noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Rector Cemetery, Chelsea, Iowa.

Memorials may be made to the family. Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.hrabakfuneralhome.com.

Martha Mary was born Sept. 9, 1925, the daughter of Orie Winfield and Rose Elizabeth (Klenk) Beck. She attended rural country school in Chelsea until transferring to Belle Plaine, where she walked five miles to school. Following school, she cleaned houses and worked at the paper mill in Tama. Oct. 26, 1945, Martha married Charles Howard Strong in Tama. Following marriage, Martha and Charles moved to Wenatchee, Wash., where she worked in the apple orchards. They later moved to Dysart and Clutier working for different farms along the way until moving to Luzerne, Iowa, where she was a caretaker.

Martha enjoyed cooking, playing cards, crocheting and taking care of people. But most of all, she loved her family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a member of the Christ United Methodist Church, Belle Plaine.

She is survived by her children, Kay Ellyn St. John and Margo (Richard) Allen, both of Belle Plaine, Dale (Linda) Strong of Blairstown, Iowa, and Karla (Scott) Mumby of Belle Plaine; 22 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren and two on the way.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Marsha Ohlen; son, Terry Strong; siblings, Louise Jacobi, Charlie Beck, Dale Beck, John Beck, Nathan Beck and Gertrude McElroy; sons-in-law, Dale St. John and William Ohlen.