Mildred Irene Martin, 81, of rural Otis, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, March 20, 2010. She passed peacefully at home after a prolonged battle with cancer and chronic kidney disease.
Mildred, (known as Milly to lots of her friends) was born July 26, 1928 to Velva Ola (Standley) and Albert Otto Rudnik at home on their farm near Anton, Colorado.
Mildred attended the Wiladel grammar school through the eighth grade. During her freshman year of high school she lived with the Clowser family of Otis. She attended Otis' High School and was a straight "A" student. In the summer of 1943, she returned to the family farm with her parents and siblings.
On January 14, 1948 Mildred was united in marriage to William Dudley Martin, a sod-buster from Dundy County, Nebraska. He found that he could not resist the little firey redhead. They first lived in a tiny one-bed travel trailer. They then purchased Street Car No.75 from the Denver Trolley System and converted it into their home. After farming near Arickaree for five years, they established their permanent home southeast of Otis in 1954 where they farmed and ranched. To this union three children were born. In addition to helping with the farming as needed, Milly raised chickens for meat. She made weekly trips to sell eggs from the chickens along with cream from the milk cows that she yodeled to. Once the children were old enough she worked at the Yuma Nursing Home where she developed many lifetime friends.
Milly's hobbies included: cross-stitching, sewing, and cross word puzzles, and find-a-word puzzles. She would gladly accept all challenges to a game or two of cribbage, pinochle, or yahtzee, especially from her grandchildren. Milly taught several of her grandchildren to drive . . . even if she did so holding onto the door handle; ready to jump out at a moments notice!
In her younger years, square dancing was one of her passions and she was an active member of the Crackerjacks Square Dance Club for at least ten years. The club met twice a week for practice at the old Welch school. The club competed at Otis's VFW hall which was then located between the Bank and Post Office. The team went to Denver for competitions and also would teach young people who showed an interest. Throughout her entire life there was always that little spice of mischievousness, humor, and a love for laughing and having fun. She truly remained "young at heart" all her life.
Mildred was baptized on February 4th, 1967. She was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Otis as her health would allow.
Mildred is survived by Son Bruce & wife Paula (La Center, WA); Daughter Arleen Harms & husband Tony (Yuma); Grandson Evan Martin (Portland, OR); Granddaughters: Sarah DeBord & husband Nate (Kent, WA), Renae Belobraydich & husband Alex (Littleton), Kristen Winter & husband Jason (Sterling), Jeanie Sutherland & husband Mitch (Elkhorn, NE), Ashley Martin (Brush), and Angela Bintliff & husband Dustin (Greeley); two Sisters: Janice Ernest & husband Harley (Flagler) and Glenda Schmidt (Ft. Collins); three Sisters-in-Law: Helen Adams (Curtis, NE), Iona Yost (Wray), & Merrella Martin (Benkelman, NE); nine great-grandchildren; one aunt and two uncles; and many other relatives and friends.
Mildred and Dudley had celebrated fifty-four years of marriage before Dudley passed away in 2002. Mildred was also preceded in death by her Son Randy; her parents; Brothers Charles and Delbert; and great-granddaughter Aleeya Bintliff.
Funeral services were conducted Tuesday, March 23, 2010 from the First Presbyterian Church in Otis with Pastor Randy Feather officiating. Interment followed in the Otis Cemetery with Brenner Funeral Home of Akron in charge of arrangements.