MARY ALICE (NEWMAN) MARTIN

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MARY ALICE MARTIN

Mother of

Donnie J. Miller (Class of 1960)

Terry Martin (Class of 1965)

Mary Alice (Newman) Martin, 87 
of Russell, Kansas
died Wednesday, February 13, 2013
 at Main Street Manor in Russell.

Mary was born February 13, 1926 in Douglass, Kansas, the daughter of Virgil F. and Ora J.(Wares) Newman. She grew up and attended school in Douglass and Madison, Kansas.
 

Mary was united in marriage to Troy Harold Martin on November 5, 1941 in El Dorado, Kansas. This union was blessed with two children; Donnie and Terry. They made their home in Wichita before Troy went off to war. After the war, they made their home in Lyons, Kansas before moving to Russell in 1952. In 1967 they moved to Wichita and then returned to Russell in 1976. Troy preceded her in death on October 29, 2005.

 

Mary was a devoted wife and homemaker. She also worked in Wichita as a manager of an IGA Store where she was recognized by a trade journal for her work at the store. Later when she returned to Russell, she worked over 15 years as a cook for Biekerdyke School.

Mary was an active member of the Otterbein United Methodist Church and their mission program. She also was a member of the Russell V.F.W. Post #6240 Ladies Auxiliary. She enjoyed spending time in her garden and canning, raising Brittney Spaniels and cooking. She was known for her pies and peanut brittle. She loved spending time with her family and friends.

 

Surviving family include her daughter, Donnie J. Miller and husband Irvin D. of Russell, Kansas; son, Terry H. Martin and wife Kristine of Cartwright, Oklahoma; brother, Gean Newman and wife Lois of Lyons, Kansas; four grandchildren, Dru Miller, Micah Becker, Kevin Martin and Vincent Martin; and 10 great grandchildren.

 

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother Robert Newman, sister Betty Howard and grandson David Miller.

 

Celebration of Mary’s Life will be held at 10:30 A.M. Monday, February 18, 2013 at Otterbein United Methodist Church with Pastor Dennis Finch officiating. Burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery.

 

Visitation will be from Noon to 8 P.M. Sunday, February 17, 2013 at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary with the family present to greet friends from 6 PM to 7 PM.

 

A memorial has been established with the Russell Regional Hospital. Contributions and condolences may be sent in care of Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary who is in charge of these arrangements.

 

Pohlman~Varner~Peeler Mortuary

 

Our thoughts, our love and our prayers are with Mary's family at this time of transition in their lives.
77418  -  77484 -  77597

MARY (PFORTMILLER) FINK

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In Memory of

Mary Eleanor Fink

May 16, 1937 - January 27, 2013

 

Mary Fink was born May 16th 1937 in Hays, Kansas. Her mother Ellie and father Dick raised Mary and her older brother Glen in the small town of Fairport Kansas where Dick worked on oil rigs, but unfortunately did not own any. As a teenager, Mary rode the bus to a near-by small town named Paradise. And yes there is a Paradise in Kansas. Mary attended Paradise high school where she was a cheerleader, a basketball player, and a homecoming queen. That's where she met her high school sweet heart and life-long partner of 57 years, Bob. They got married fresh out of high school and two years later Mary gave birth to her first daughter Lucinda followed two and half years later by their second daughter, Tonya.

As a young family, they lived in a purple trailer house next to the gas station that Bob owned and operated and supported the family. This was a when gas was 18 cents a gallon. Never to be one out of fashion, Mary always attired her daughters in cute and carefully planned matching outfits. Every summer, the Fink's, like every honest baseball fanatical family took a two week vacation to Kansas City to watch the A's play baseball. They always managed to be there when the Yankees were in town. During these trips the two young and well-dressed daughters were strongly encouraged to collect baseball autographs from players to which they could not dare be denied, including Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.

In 1966 enticed by some actual landscape, Bob and Mary left Paradise and moved their family to Colorado. In Colorado, Bob and Mary added a surprise to the young family with the addition of their son Pat, their baseball player. The Fink's settled into a nice 3 bedroom house of their own in Edgewater and sent their kids to Lumberg elementary and Jefferson high school. Bob worked as a salesmen and Mary continued to raise her kids while juggling jobs at the elementary school and May D&F (where she thoroughly enjoyed a discount on clothes and purses). After her kids grew up, at age 40, Mary got a job working for the Federal Government as an administrator for USGS. Anybody that knew Mary knew she had a strong work ethic. She worked at her job for over 30 years and retired at age 73, almost two years ago.

Outside of fashion and work, Mary most enjoyed sports and travel. Together Bob and Mary earn the title to be rightfully considered -- sports nuts. Not only did they root hard for their favorite professional and college teams, they were always right there in the stands and on the sidelines for their kids and grandkids sporting events. Mary took her baton-twirling daughter Tonya across the country coming home with a car full of trophies each time. She tirelessly attended and drove to all of her son Pat's baseball, basketball and football games and hardly ever missed her grandchildren's lacrosse or hockey games even if she and Bob had to drive to another state. When Tonya was the featured Baton twirler during halftime of the football games, CU gained two full time football fans that never missed a home game and travelled all over the country to watch the Buffs compete along with their other favorite teams, the Red Sox and the Rockies. Their travelling was not just limited to sports. Bob and Mary travelled all over the world with their best traveling buddies Don & Shirley Moran to places like Germany, France, Ireland, Brazil, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and many other places. Bob's job for Continental Airlines allowed them to go to New York City or San Francisco for a Sunday afternoon lunch and a Broadway play.

Mary always enjoyed spending time with her dog, Fenway, her family, her friends, her sports teams and meeting new people that she could share her gift of gab with. Mary's life came to an end a couple of weeks ago on January 27th 2013. As we now know, Mary concealed her illness from family for the last few years and she even attended 75 of the 81 Rockies games just last summer. Mary's goal was to survive through this last Christmas holiday. Mary will always be remembered for treasuring her family and friends, meeting new people, not wanting to have her picture taken, and her trademark two holiday pies per one person.

Mary is survived by her loving husband; Bob, children; Lucinda (John) Schneller, Tonya (Pat) Osbaugh, Patrick FInk, grandchildren; Tyson Schneller, Tanner Schneller, Joe Osbaugh, and her beloved dog; Fenway.   

 

To view Mary's Photo Gallery click on Mary's Photo Gallery and/or Slide Show

Note from Onnalee . . .  You will see a few photos of Paradise in Mary's Slide Show. 
I love . . . . "And yes there is a Paradise in Kansas."