Grier, Martha W.

Martha W. Grier, 96, of Marshalltown, passed away Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, at Rolling Green Village in Nevada, Iowa. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Marshalltown. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, at the Main Street Chapel of the Anderson Funeral Homes in Marshalltown.

Memorials may be directed to St. Mary Catholic Church.

Online condolences may be sent to www.andersonfhs.com.

Martha was born July 9, 1916, in Fairfax, Iowa, the daughter of William and Frances Womochil. She was raised on a farm and attended elementary and high school in Fairfax and Cedar Rapids respectively. She received an associate degree from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids. Martha was employed at Iowa Electric Light and Power in Cedar Rapids before her marriage. She married Charles L. Grier on April 16, 1940, at St. Ludmila's Church in Cedar Rapids. They lived in Mount Vernon and then moved to Marshalltown in 1941 where she has resided since. Martha was employed at Willard's Furs, Par Loan, and the Iowa Veterans Home, where she retired from in 1982.

Martha was a member of St. Mary Church, the Altar and Rosary Society, a charter member of the Madonna Study Club, the Elks Ladies Auxiliary, and the Junior Chamber of Commerce Auxiliary, where she served as president.

Martha had a great love of music and enjoyed playing the piano throughout her life. Martha's many enjoyments included the friendship of her bridge groups, gardening, crossword puzzles, writing letters, and visiting with her family and many close friends. She was also active in volunteering and received an award for 25 years of special services for St. Mary Church as well the Volunteer Service Award from the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs.

Martha is survived by a son, Ron (Maureen) Grier of Ames; daughter, Carmen (Terry Gess) Grier of Bakersville, N.C.; daughter-in-law, Mary Lou Grier (Jim) Behling of Urbandale, Iowa; and four grandchildren, Mark (Kristen) Grier, Bedford, Mass., Sarah (Brent) Moellenberg, San Francisco, Calif., Laura (Nick) Meyer, Elm Grove, Wis., and Mindy Speas, Mesa, Ariz.; two stepgrandchildren, Jennifer Spease, Stillwater, Minn., and Megan Speas, Minneapolis; four great-grandchildren; and also nieces and nephews.

Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Charles in 1955; her son, Bernie in 1974; two sisters, Agnes Edgar and Valeria Voss; and two brothers, Ernest and Albin Womochil.

Martha was greatly loved; her family and friends will miss her immensely.

Published Jan. 31, 2013 in The Gazette