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Patricia Ann Martin

June 29, 1933 - January 4, 2017
Grand Rapids, MI

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Visitation

Tuesday, January 10, 2017
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263
Driving Directions

Visitation

Wednesday, January 11, 2017
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM EST
Grand Valley Baptist Church
0-3186 River Hill Dr. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
Map

Service

Wednesday, January 11, 2017
11:00 AM EST
Grand Valley Baptist Church
0-3186 River Hill Dr. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
Map

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

TEAM -To support Ministry of Becky Martin
c/o Grand Valley Baptist Church
0-3186 River Hill Dr. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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With a life that spanned times of great change in the world around her, Patricia (Moxon) Martin lived a life of purpose while holding loved ones near and dear to her heart. Guided by an unwavering faith, she lived to love and serve others in ways both great and small. A lover of people, Pat was social and outgoing, drawing others near with ease. She enjoyed her roles of daughter and sister, reveled in her roles of wife and mother, aunt and friend, and delighted in her roles of grandmother and great-grandmother later in life. Although she will be deeply missed, Pat leaves behind a priceless collection of memories that her loved ones will forever cherish.

Life during the 1930s was anything but easy as the entire decade was cloaked in the hardship of the Great Depression. Claire Edward and Esther Augusta (Hammerlind) Moxon had moved their growing brood from the family farm in Sparta to Grand Rapids. Daughter Patricia Ann, the youngest of seven by five years, made her appearance on June 19,1933. Claire served as a postal carrier, Esther as a home maker for siblings Vincent, Marian, Franklin, Virginia, Milton and Alice.

In the capacity of "baby sister," "Pigtail Patty" grew up helping in kitchen, house, and garden alongside Mom and older sisters. She fished and picked berries with Daddy, put on backyard "circuses" with her siblings, went camping, and sent four brothers (including Marian's fiancée Oscar) off to war. Singing, good natured teasing and hijinks; games, frugality, and old fashioned hard work were second nature.

Growing up in the family home on Fremont St, and later Straight St, Pat attended the Swedish Covenant Church where she was involved in church activities and choir. Deeply abiding faith and its daily demonstration was her heritage.

Pat attended Harrison Park Elementary followed by Union High School where she was a member of the Latin club and school choirs . After graduating in 1951, she attended North Park College in Chicago, still participating in chorale, completing her nursing certification through Swedish Hospital School of Nursing. Upon her return to Grand Rapids she took a position as a surgical nurse at Blodgett Hospital.

During High School Pat knew an awkwardly tall young man whose attentions pursued her to nursing school then back to Grand Rapids. Patricia Ann and Glen R. "Bud" Martin were married on October 20, 1956-- easily remembered as opening day of pheasant hunting season. They spent their honeymoon camping in Northern Michigan then settled down on a hill in Tallmadge Township where Bud pursued his passion of growing fruit at "Sunny Hill Orchard." Pat assisted him while continuing her nursing until their brood started arriving, beginning with Laura in 1958. Phil (1959), Curt (1961), and Rebecca (1963), soon completed the family.

Pat worked in the orchard, sold fruit at Farmers Markets, and nursed her own kids through various childhood ills, bumps, or scrapes. She supervised and doctored an ever expanding menagerie of critters which included litters of kittens and German Shorthair Pointers, herds of milk goats, and a band of horses. The family enjoyed hunting and fishing trips as well as a converted bus odyssey to Florida. As a couple, Pat and Bud built a house atop the renovated cold storage they had converted to a home and occasionally drove semi together. Outdoor family activities whether beach or forest, summer or winter, were a favorite. Ice skating and sledding, which she enjoyed since childhood, became a family pastime. She loved photographing waterfalls or wildflowers, rock collecting, and mushroom hunting. Her garden and her plants and her pets were a delight-- the source of some of her numerous stories. She participated in extended family berry picking excursions, and canning, corn freezing, and apple pie baking extravaganzas filled with chatter, laughter and song. Pat was quick to provide dishes for family gatherings and potlucks-- often apple pies, broccoli salad, fruit salad or rice pudding.

Pat and Bud were active at Grand Valley Baptist Church, initially as youth group sponsors, later in teaching and, of course,musical capacities. She sang solos and loved participating in ensembles and choirs. Together they often hosted missionaries and participated in missions conferences. Later she worked in hospice nursing and adult foster care as well as continuing to invest in the lives of her children, extended family and friends. She enjoyed travel throughout the states to visit children, grandchildren , siblings and friends. She adventured abroad, visiting Becky in Nepal, cruising in Alaska with friends, and with family around Italy and Greece. In the meantime she actively supported the church AWANA program, continued to sing, and participated in Bible and book study groups. She still enjoyed her pets, plants, and garden.

Despite a knee and a hip replacement, she remained active, especially enjoying church activities, exercise at 'Y', and book club. She even enjoyed a trip with brother Milt and nephew Doug to settle sister Alice into a new home in Michigan's U.P.Shortly after, in October 2015, she experienced a health crisis which resulted in a pacemaker placement. Her recovery was complicated by a heart infection and further difficulties resulting in hospice care beginning in August, 2015.

A kindhearted, helpful, and easy going person, Patricia Martin blessed the lives of many through her genuine servant’s heart. She had a great sense of humor along with a contagious zest for life. Pat was fully devoted to her family, her friends, and her sustaining faith. Deeply loved, she will be forever missed by many.

Patricia Ann Martin (Moxon) aged 83 of Grand Rapids, went to be with her Lord, on Wednesday, January 4, 2017, with family at her side. She was preceded in death by her husband Glen R. “Bud” Martin, her brothers and sister, Vincent (Pearl) Moxon, Franklin (Evelyn) Moxon, Marian (Oscar) Carlson, and sister-in-law, Dorothy Moxon; other brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law. She is survived by her children, Laura (Leonard) Stover, Philip (Suzanne Dotson) Martin, Curtis Martin, Rebecca Martin; her five grandchildren, Lee (Jenna) Stover, Leslie Stover, Luke Stover, Kyle Martin, Christopher Martin; her great grandson, Lincoln Stover; her brother and sisters, Milton Moxon, Alice (Bob) Nelson, Virginia (Maynard) Anderson; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Steve (Brenda) Martin; many nieces, nephews and friends. Pat was a kind and loving wife, mother grandmother and a friend to all who knew her. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. She was a longtime member of Grand Valley Baptist Church where she was very active. A service to celebrate Pat’s life will be held on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 11:00 AM at Grand Valley Baptist Church, 0-3186 River Hill Dr. NW, Grand Rapids. Visitation will be held at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW on Tuesday from 6:00 – 9:00 PM, and again at the church on Wednesday from 10:00 am until the service starts at 11:00 am. Contributions in her memory may be made to TEAM, (The Evangelical Alliance Mission), for the ministry of her daughter Becky. To read more about Pat’s life, to sign her guest book and to leave your own memory of her, visit her web page at www.lifestorynet.com

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