Bridgeport, Oregon
Marian Lee Martin, 63, of Bridgeport, died July 1, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Health Services after spending her last couple of months in Boise seeking treatment for cancer at St. Luke’s Hospital and the Mountain States Tumor Institute.
Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Burnt River Community Church in Unity. Pastor Matthew Schnetz will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the church.
At the request of her family, disposition was by cremation at Gray’s West Pioneer Crematory.
Marian was born Dec. 21, 1939, in California. She worked as a teacher’s assistant in Alturas, Calif., for seven years. In 1982, Marian met Gary Martin in Bieber, Calif. Upon Gary’s retirement from his job with the state of California in 1989, he sold his ranch there and bought a new one at Bridgeport.
Marian and Gary were married at the house on the ranch that same year. Marian loved the open fireplace in the house and at her request the wedding ceremony took place in front of it.
Marian dearly loved the quail, wild turkey and especially the deer that frequented her yard, and she fed them regularly. She had a favorite doe that returned year after year with twins to nurture them in the safety of the Martin residence.
One winter the snow was so deep that the wild turkeys couldn’t lift their feet out of the snow after landing in the yard, and Marian got quite a kick out of watching them tumble about the yard.
Marian was a hard worker and could often be found working on the ranch. She helped her husband feed the cattle in the winter months and she would drive the tractor during haying season in the summers.
She loved to see the children and grandchildren, as they came to visit on Memorial Day and during elk season. Marian also enjoyed cooking large dinners for her favorite holidays: Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Her cocker spaniel, Sammy, for 16 years could always be found at her side.
She is survived by her husband, Gary, of Bridgeport; two sons and their families, Don Lee and his wife, Sandy, and their two sons, Ryan and Kaidon, of Arizona, and Jeff Wells and his wife, Michelle, with their daughter, Jillian, of Redding, Calif.; three stepchildren and their families, Scoop and Neva Martin and their two children, Jake and Tyrel, of Lookout, Calif., Linda and Mike Whillhite and their children, Wendy, Karl, Justin and Kelly, of Klamath Falls, and Matt and Katie Martin and their daughter, Abigail, of La Grande. Three brothers also survive.
Marian was preceded in death by her parents and one son, John Wells.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mountain States Tumor Institute through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, July 23, 2003
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor