Marie F. Martin

Marie Francis Martin, 96, of Xenia passed away Monday, June 27, 2022, at home with family at her side. She was born in her family’s Miamisburg, Ohio, home on September 12, 1925. Soon after, and throughout the Great Depression,(1929-39) her childhood passed on the family farm near Waynesville, Ohio.

At the start of WWII, she left the farm to work at the NCR in Dayton, where she helped fabricate airplane bomb sights. Subsequent governmental work led to her meeting Army Air Corps Captain Don Martin who fell under her spell and into their new life together. After moving to Xenia, life handed her the daunting task of a move to Casablanca, Morocco, to join her newly promoted Major Martin, now of the U.S. Air Force (formerly Army Air Corps). On her own she rented out the family home in Xenia’s Shawnee Village, packed a life into storage, completed a voluminous amount of governmental paperwork, traded in the newly acquired, and beloved, push-button automatic Studebaker for a standard-shift, step-down model Dodge, grabbed the two boys and drove to New York City to meet the ship. After a two-week voyage amidst a shipload of seasick passengers, family and Dodge arrived at Casablanca. Sadly, Marie found out later, local mechanics did know how to repair automatics and she could have brought her Studebaker with her. She welcomed her third son during her stay in Africa. In the years following her return to Xenia, Marie was a member of the United, Westminster and Memorial Presbyterian Churches and a volunteer in her children’s school activities, as well as with the American Cancer Society and the Xenia Fish Pantry. With two sons in college and the youngest entering high school, she enjoyed working in the business office at Greene Memorial Hospital for a number of years. Marie loved to sing, and would spontaneously break into song much to the delight of her children. She played brilliant bridge and ate crossword puzzles like popcorn. She loved to swim and for many years, could out hit, out run and generally out play her children at softball.

She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Diana L. Martin (Robert Porco), Bainbridge, Ohio; three sons, Douglas L. Martin, Xenia, Philip D. Martin, Austin, TX, and Allan D. Martin, Cincinnati; three grandchildren, Staci L. (Jason) Goodbody, Brent D. Martin and Taylor ReeseMartin; two great-grandsons, Evan and Ryan Goodbody. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Donald B. Martin; parents, E. Lawrence and Ethel Marie Hardin; and many brothers and sisters. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Burial was in Woodland Cemetery, Xenia. Contributions may be made to the Ohio Valley Hospice, 2601 Mission Point Blvd., Suite 310, Beavercreek, Ohio, 45431.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.tobias-fh.com for the Martin family.