Martin, Frances J.

Frances J. Martin, 86, of Mount Pleasant, formerly of Iowa City, died Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, at Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at Round Prairie Baptist Church near Lockridge, Iowa. Burial will be at Forest Home Cemetery in Mount Pleasant. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City.

Frances Jennie Gardner was born April 23, 1925, in Batavia, N.Y., the daughter of Harry and Jennie (Conrad) Gardner. She attended and graduated from high school in Perry, N.Y. She was united in marriage to Robert T. Martin. She spent her lifetime caring for her family; was active in her church, Marion Avenue Baptist, many of those years as a Sunday school teacher; and cheering on the New York Yankees, and in later years, the Iowa Hawkeye basketball team.

Her family, especially her grandchildren as they came along, brought her great joy. Her faith and the sharing of her faith were paramount in her life!

Her family includes her two children and their spouses, Sandi and Richard Cook of Iowa City and Rich and Erica Martin of Mount Pleasant; two grandchildren, Shelbi and Mitchell; niece, Patricia Hiatt of Fairfield; nephews, Larry, Peter and Philip Gardner; and two great-nieces, Karen Franklin and Dawn Hamm.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Robert in 1985; and two brothers, Harry and Richard Gardner.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made for the Pets Program at Park Place Care Center in Mount Pleasant.

Online condolences may be sent for her family through the Web at .

Published Jan. 14, 2012, in The Gazette