Esther L. Martin

Esther Lillian Martin, 96, of Fleming, passed away at her home on Sunday morning, January 25, 2009.

She was born on December 9, 1912, on a farm near Moose Lake, MN to August and Hanna (Nelmark) Takkunen, the 5th of 8 children. She survived the Great Moose Lake Fire in 1918 by wading in the river with her family.  She was a member of the Independent Apostolic Lutheran Church and was a homemaker.  She had been a caregiver for her daughter, June, for 60 years until her health failed recently.  She enjoyed spending time with her family and especially enjoyed family gatherings where she could visit with everyone.  She was a very gentle and loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

In the early 1940’s she moved to Tacoma, WA with friends and went to work in a factory during WWII. While there, she met and married Marion W. Martin on July 30, 1944.  In 1945 after her husband was discharged from the Army, they moved to the farm in Fleming where she resided until her death. 

She is survived by 3 children:  Naoma June Martin of Marietta, Donna (Kenneth) Born of Marietta and Doyle Martin of Fleming with whom she made her home; 2 granddaughters:  Dawne (Scott) Conger of Pickerington and Kimberly (Trevor) Mallernee of Dover; great granddaughters:  Ella Maria Mallernee of Dover and Lillyanne Grace Conger of Pickerington and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband on April 13, 1969, her parents and 4 brothers and 3 sisters.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday (Jan. 28) at 11:00 am at McClure-Schafer-Lankford Funeral Home with Roger Rush officiating.  Burial will be in Valley Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home after 2:00 on Tuesday afternoon with family present from 2-4 and 6-8.  On line condolences may be shared at:  mslfuneralhome.com.