Martha M. Myers

MARTHA MARIE SCHILL MYERS, 99, passed away quietly in her sleep on January 2, 2011. Martha was born February 15, 1911, in Louisville, Ohio, a home delivery by a midwife in a former schoolhouse being rented by her parents, Herman and Dora Schill, while their new home was being built. The family later moved to Massillon, Ohio, where they opened the Massillon Bakery. Martha helped her father in the business and learned the skills he acquired at a Swiss baking school. She met her future husband, Weston Ruch Myers, while serving him an ice cream cookie sandwich in the café attached to the bakery. After marriage, they had four children and became volunteers for Massillon’s Harvey Elementary School festivals and Washington High School Band Parents. Martha, an accomplished seamstress, created clothes for her family, including costumes for dance recitals. She worked in the metallurgical lab of U.S. Steel analyzing metal samples during WWII until the veterans returned. In the 1950’s, Wes and Martha moved to Winter Park where they continue their affiliation with the Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star. Martha enjoyed working a number of years at Martin Marietta (Lockheed Martin) and took computer programming courses at Florida Technological University, now UCF. After retirement, she turned her artistic talents to a pastime in ceramics, winning blue ribbons in regional competitions for several of her pieces. She was a member of Massillon’s Faith Lutheran Church and of St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Longwood, FL. Predeceased by her parents Herman and Dora Schill, her brother John, her sister Dorothy, and her husband Weston R., Martha is survived by her sister Clara Sturm (St. Johnsbury, VT), daughter Donna Miller (Winter Park, FL), daughter Betty Jo Palmer (Derwood,MD), son Weston D. (Norma Jean, Duluth, GA), and daughter Noreen French (Raymond, Panama City, FL). She is also survived by ten grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren. A loving memory of Martha Marie Myers will live on with her family and with those who knew her kindness. Memorial service arrangements are entrusted to Woodlawn Memorial Park and Funeral, 400 Woodlawn Cemetery Road, Gotha, Fl 34734 (407-293-1361). Service will be held at Woodlawn Chapel on Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 2140 West State Road 434, Longwood, FL 32779. Condolences may be offered at www.woodlawnfuneralhomegotha.com.