Born on August 31, 1903, in Lick Creek Township, Van Buren County, Iowa, Lucretia was the third child born to Charles Edward Martin and Roseanna A. Neis.
Lucretia lived her entire childhood and early womanhood in Fairfield, Iowa. Life was not easy around the Martin household as Roseanna was a hard taskmaster and not known to be one who showed much affection. Lucretia completed grade school and high school in Fairfield. Upon graduation from high school, and at her mothers insistance, she entered Parsons College where she went on to earn her teachers credentials. Upon completing her studies at Parsons, she went on to teach grades one through eight in a little one room school house situated on the outskirts of Fairfield. However, Lucretia had never really wanted to be a teacher but did so only upon the insistance of her mother, so, she gave it up after only one year. Many years later, she confessed that she wished she had not quit so soon.
In January 1925, while visiting with her neighbors, Earl and May Bruders, she met William Louis Karl Bruders, Earl's brother.
After dating William several times, her mother, feeling the Bruders were low class people, became quite irrate and threw Lucretia out of the house. A strange act for someone who came from a family with problems of their own. It appears that Roseanna had never been a very happy person even in her youth, and she was quick to vent her anger on anyone who displeased her. She had a bad temper and at times, was downright mean to her children when they were very young. Williams' parents (Heinrich and Johanna) took Lucretia in to live with them, and shortly thereafter, she and Willaim slipped accross the border to Memphis, Missouri where they were married by one Reverand Taggart of the First Christian Church of Memphis. Lucretias' mother never forgave her for marrying William, and there relationship from that day on remained quite strained right up to Roseannas' death.
After their marriage, Lucretia and William returned to Fairfield where they lived for a short time with Williams' parents until they were able to get a place of their own.
The first seventeen years of their marriage were spent in Fairfield, during which time Lucretia gave birth to six children: Vivian, Jennie, Larry, Joyce, Peggy, and Jimmie.
For 18 years, William worked off and on at the Malleable (Work here was not allways steady or full time) and at any other job he could get until March 1943, when the family emigrated to Sedro Woolley, Washington, where William had obtained a full time job as a brass molder for the Skagit Steel and Iron Works.
Several months after arriving in Sedro Woolley, with the aid of Williams' boss, Lucretia and William were able to secure financing to buy a house located at 521 Nelson street. This was their first and last home they would own.
With Williams' sudden death in November 1947, Lucretia found herself left with the sole responsibility of providing for herself, Larry , Joyce, Peggy and Jim. (Vivian had since married and Jennie had obtained her nursing degree and was working as a RN).
For several years, Lucretia worked in the local hospital laundry and, allthough the work was hard and the pay meager, she did manage to hold the family together.
In the summer of 1949, after Larry had graduated from high school and entered the Air Force, unable to make the monthly house payments, she sold the house to pay off all the bills and, she, Joyce, Peggy, and Jim pulled up stakes and moved back to Fairfield hoping to pick up where things were befor William died.
She obtained employment working in the Jefferson County Hospital laundry, a job that would send her home at the end of each day totally exhausted.
Things did not work out as hoped in Fairfield and, after about six months, she and the kids returned to Washington. They lived for a while in Burlington, Washington, where Lucrtetia obtained employment running the cafeteria at the local high school. Over the next decade or so, Lucretia worked at as number of different jobs, primarily as a live in housekeeper and, later, as a practical nurse at various nursing homes.
Throughout the 1960's Lucretia lived for varying lengths of time with some of her children who, by now, were scattered between Oregon, California, Georgia and Washington.
In the early 1970's, she took up residence in the old Winthrop Hotel in Tacoma, Washington which had been converted to a low income housing facility for senior citizens. During her stay at the Winthrop, Vivian and Horace kept her well stocked with food.
Through her lifetime, Lucretia had experienced numerous health problems and in early 1980 was diagnosed with lung cancer and, even with treatment had probably only two to three years to live.
Lucretia maintained her residence at the Winthrop between numerous confinments in the hospital, until early 1982 when, her doctor said she could not go back there as her condition required daily care. It was then that she went to live with her daughter Peggy in Portland, Oregon, and it was there that she spent her last few months on this earth.
She was called home by God on May 18, 1982. She passed away quietly in her sleep in Gresham, Oregon in the hospital where Peggy worked.
A Rosary and Memorial Service was held in Gresham and her remains were transported to Sedro Woolley for burial in Union Cemetary next to her beloved William. Graveside services were performed by Father Patrick O'Brien her long time friend and priest.
Lucretia lived her entire childhood and early womanhood in Fairfield, Iowa. Life was not easy around the Martin household as Roseanna was a hard taskmaster and not known to be one who showed much affection. Lucretia completed grade school and high school in Fairfield. Upon graduation from high school, and at her mothers insistance, she entered Parsons College where she went on to earn her teachers credentials. Upon completing her studies at Parsons, she went on to teach grades one through eight in a little one room school house situated on the outskirts of Fairfield. However, Lucretia had never really wanted to be a teacher but did so only upon the insistance of her mother, so, she gave it up after only one year. Many years later, she confessed that she wished she had not quit so soon.
In January 1925, while visiting with her neighbors, Earl and May Bruders, she met William Louis Karl Bruders, Earl's brother.
After dating William several times, her mother, feeling the Bruders were low class people, became quite irrate and threw Lucretia out of the house. A strange act for someone who came from a family with problems of their own. It appears that Roseanna had never been a very happy person even in her youth, and she was quick to vent her anger on anyone who displeased her. She had a bad temper and at times, was downright mean to her children when they were very young. Williams' parents (Heinrich and Johanna) took Lucretia in to live with them, and shortly thereafter, she and Willaim slipped accross the border to Memphis, Missouri where they were married by one Reverand Taggart of the First Christian Church of Memphis. Lucretias' mother never forgave her for marrying William, and there relationship from that day on remained quite strained right up to Roseannas' death.
After their marriage, Lucretia and William returned to Fairfield where they lived for a short time with Williams' parents until they were able to get a place of their own.
The first seventeen years of their marriage were spent in Fairfield, during which time Lucretia gave birth to six children: Vivian, Jennie, Larry, Joyce, Peggy, and Jimmie.
For 18 years, William worked off and on at the Malleable (Work here was not allways steady or full time) and at any other job he could get until March 1943, when the family emigrated to Sedro Woolley, Washington, where William had obtained a full time job as a brass molder for the Skagit Steel and Iron Works.
Several months after arriving in Sedro Woolley, with the aid of Williams' boss, Lucretia and William were able to secure financing to buy a house located at 521 Nelson street. This was their first and last home they would own.
With Williams' sudden death in November 1947, Lucretia found herself left with the sole responsibility of providing for herself, Larry , Joyce, Peggy and Jim. (Vivian had since married and Jennie had obtained her nursing degree and was working as a RN).
For several years, Lucretia worked in the local hospital laundry and, allthough the work was hard and the pay meager, she did manage to hold the family together.
In the summer of 1949, after Larry had graduated from high school and entered the Air Force, unable to make the monthly house payments, she sold the house to pay off all the bills and, she, Joyce, Peggy, and Jim pulled up stakes and moved back to Fairfield hoping to pick up where things were befor William died.
She obtained employment working in the Jefferson County Hospital laundry, a job that would send her home at the end of each day totally exhausted.
Things did not work out as hoped in Fairfield and, after about six months, she and the kids returned to Washington. They lived for a while in Burlington, Washington, where Lucrtetia obtained employment running the cafeteria at the local high school. Over the next decade or so, Lucretia worked at as number of different jobs, primarily as a live in housekeeper and, later, as a practical nurse at various nursing homes.
Throughout the 1960's Lucretia lived for varying lengths of time with some of her children who, by now, were scattered between Oregon, California, Georgia and Washington.
In the early 1970's, she took up residence in the old Winthrop Hotel in Tacoma, Washington which had been converted to a low income housing facility for senior citizens. During her stay at the Winthrop, Vivian and Horace kept her well stocked with food.
Through her lifetime, Lucretia had experienced numerous health problems and in early 1980 was diagnosed with lung cancer and, even with treatment had probably only two to three years to live.
Lucretia maintained her residence at the Winthrop between numerous confinments in the hospital, until early 1982 when, her doctor said she could not go back there as her condition required daily care. It was then that she went to live with her daughter Peggy in Portland, Oregon, and it was there that she spent her last few months on this earth.
She was called home by God on May 18, 1982. She passed away quietly in her sleep in Gresham, Oregon in the hospital where Peggy worked.
A Rosary and Memorial Service was held in Gresham and her remains were transported to Sedro Woolley for burial in Union Cemetary next to her beloved William. Graveside services were performed by Father Patrick O'Brien her long time friend and priest.
Born on August 31, 1903, in Lick Creek Township, Van Buren County, Iowa, Lucretia was the third child born to Charles Edward Martin and Roseanna A. Neis.
Lucretia lived her entire childhood and early womanhood in Fairfield, Iowa. Life was not easy around the Martin household as Roseanna was a hard taskmaster and not known to be one who showed much affection. Lucretia completed grade school and high school in Fairfield. Upon graduation from high school, and at her mothers insistance, she entered Parsons College where she went on to earn her teachers credentials. Upon completing her studies at Parsons, she went on to teach grades one through eight in a little one room school house situated on the outskirts of Fairfield. However, Lucretia had never really wanted to be a teacher but did so only upon the insistance of her mother, so, she gave it up after only one year. Many years later, she confessed that she wished she had not quit so soon.
In January 1925, while visiting with her neighbors, Earl and May Bruders, she met William Louis Karl Bruders, Earl's brother.
After dating William several times, her mother, feeling the Bruders were low class people, became quite irrate and threw Lucretia out of the house. A strange act for someone who came from a family with problems of their own. It appears that Roseanna had never been a very happy person even in her youth, and she was quick to vent her anger on anyone who displeased her. She had a bad temper and at times, was downright mean to her children when they were very young. Williams' parents (Heinrich and Johanna) took Lucretia in to live with them, and shortly thereafter, she and Willaim slipped accross the border to Memphis, Missouri where they were married by one Reverand Taggart of the First Christian Church of Memphis. Lucretias' mother never forgave her for marrying William, and there relationship from that day on remained quite strained right up to Roseannas' death.
After their marriage, Lucretia and William returned to Fairfield where they lived for a short time with Williams' parents until they were able to get a place of their own.
The first seventeen years of their marriage were spent in Fairfield, during which time Lucretia gave birth to six children: Vivian, Jennie, Larry, Joyce, Peggy, and Jimmie.
For 18 years, William worked off and on at the Malleable (Work here was not allways steady or full time) and at any other job he could get until March 1943, when the family emigrated to Sedro Woolley, Washington, where William had obtained a full time job as a brass molder for the Skagit Steel and Iron Works.
Several months after arriving in Sedro Woolley, with the aid of Williams' boss, Lucretia and William were able to secure financing to buy a house located at 521 Nelson street. This was their first and last home they would own.
With Williams' sudden death in November 1947, Lucretia found herself left with the sole responsibility of providing for herself, Larry , Joyce, Peggy and Jim. (Vivian had since married and Jennie had obtained her nursing degree and was working as a RN).
For several years, Lucretia worked in the local hospital laundry and, allthough the work was hard and the pay meager, she did manage to hold the family together.
In the summer of 1949, after Larry had graduated from high school and entered the Air Force, unable to make the monthly house payments, she sold the house to pay off all the bills and, she, Joyce, Peggy, and Jim pulled up stakes and moved back to Fairfield hoping to pick up where things were befor William died.
She obtained employment working in the Jefferson County Hospital laundry, a job that would send her home at the end of each day totally exhausted.
Things did not work out as hoped in Fairfield and, after about six months, she and the kids returned to Washington. They lived for a while in Burlington, Washington, where Lucrtetia obtained employment running the cafeteria at the local high school. Over the next decade or so, Lucretia worked at as number of different jobs, primarily as a live in housekeeper and, later, as a practical nurse at various nursing homes.
Throughout the 1960's Lucretia lived for varying lengths of time with some of her children who, by now, were scattered between Oregon, California, Georgia and Washington.
In the early 1970's, she took up residence in the old Winthrop Hotel in Tacoma, Washington which had been converted to a low income housing facility for senior citizens. During her stay at the Winthrop, Vivian and Horace kept her well stocked with food.
Through her lifetime, Lucretia had experienced numerous health problems and in early 1980 was diagnosed with lung cancer and, even with treatment had probably only two to three years to live.
Lucretia maintained her residence at the Winthrop between numerous confinments in the hospital, until early 1982 when, her doctor said she could not go back there as her condition required daily care. It was then that she went to live with her daughter Peggy in Portland, Oregon, and it was there that she spent her last few months on this earth.
She was called home by God on May 18, 1982. She passed away quietly in her sleep in Gresham, Oregon in the hospital where Peggy worked.
A Rosary and Memorial Service was held in Gresham and her remains were transported to Sedro Woolley for burial in Union Cemetary next to her beloved William. Graveside services were performed by Father Patrick O'Brien her long time friend and priest.
Lucretia lived her entire childhood and early womanhood in Fairfield, Iowa. Life was not easy around the Martin household as Roseanna was a hard taskmaster and not known to be one who showed much affection. Lucretia completed grade school and high school in Fairfield. Upon graduation from high school, and at her mothers insistance, she entered Parsons College where she went on to earn her teachers credentials. Upon completing her studies at Parsons, she went on to teach grades one through eight in a little one room school house situated on the outskirts of Fairfield. However, Lucretia had never really wanted to be a teacher but did so only upon the insistance of her mother, so, she gave it up after only one year. Many years later, she confessed that she wished she had not quit so soon.
In January 1925, while visiting with her neighbors, Earl and May Bruders, she met William Louis Karl Bruders, Earl's brother.
After dating William several times, her mother, feeling the Bruders were low class people, became quite irrate and threw Lucretia out of the house. A strange act for someone who came from a family with problems of their own. It appears that Roseanna had never been a very happy person even in her youth, and she was quick to vent her anger on anyone who displeased her. She had a bad temper and at times, was downright mean to her children when they were very young. Williams' parents (Heinrich and Johanna) took Lucretia in to live with them, and shortly thereafter, she and Willaim slipped accross the border to Memphis, Missouri where they were married by one Reverand Taggart of the First Christian Church of Memphis. Lucretias' mother never forgave her for marrying William, and there relationship from that day on remained quite strained right up to Roseannas' death.
After their marriage, Lucretia and William returned to Fairfield where they lived for a short time with Williams' parents until they were able to get a place of their own.
The first seventeen years of their marriage were spent in Fairfield, during which time Lucretia gave birth to six children: Vivian, Jennie, Larry, Joyce, Peggy, and Jimmie.
For 18 years, William worked off and on at the Malleable (Work here was not allways steady or full time) and at any other job he could get until March 1943, when the family emigrated to Sedro Woolley, Washington, where William had obtained a full time job as a brass molder for the Skagit Steel and Iron Works.
Several months after arriving in Sedro Woolley, with the aid of Williams' boss, Lucretia and William were able to secure financing to buy a house located at 521 Nelson street. This was their first and last home they would own.
With Williams' sudden death in November 1947, Lucretia found herself left with the sole responsibility of providing for herself, Larry , Joyce, Peggy and Jim. (Vivian had since married and Jennie had obtained her nursing degree and was working as a RN).
For several years, Lucretia worked in the local hospital laundry and, allthough the work was hard and the pay meager, she did manage to hold the family together.
In the summer of 1949, after Larry had graduated from high school and entered the Air Force, unable to make the monthly house payments, she sold the house to pay off all the bills and, she, Joyce, Peggy, and Jim pulled up stakes and moved back to Fairfield hoping to pick up where things were befor William died.
She obtained employment working in the Jefferson County Hospital laundry, a job that would send her home at the end of each day totally exhausted.
Things did not work out as hoped in Fairfield and, after about six months, she and the kids returned to Washington. They lived for a while in Burlington, Washington, where Lucrtetia obtained employment running the cafeteria at the local high school. Over the next decade or so, Lucretia worked at as number of different jobs, primarily as a live in housekeeper and, later, as a practical nurse at various nursing homes.
Throughout the 1960's Lucretia lived for varying lengths of time with some of her children who, by now, were scattered between Oregon, California, Georgia and Washington.
In the early 1970's, she took up residence in the old Winthrop Hotel in Tacoma, Washington which had been converted to a low income housing facility for senior citizens. During her stay at the Winthrop, Vivian and Horace kept her well stocked with food.
Through her lifetime, Lucretia had experienced numerous health problems and in early 1980 was diagnosed with lung cancer and, even with treatment had probably only two to three years to live.
Lucretia maintained her residence at the Winthrop between numerous confinments in the hospital, until early 1982 when, her doctor said she could not go back there as her condition required daily care. It was then that she went to live with her daughter Peggy in Portland, Oregon, and it was there that she spent her last few months on this earth.
She was called home by God on May 18, 1982. She passed away quietly in her sleep in Gresham, Oregon in the hospital where Peggy worked.
A Rosary and Memorial Service was held in Gresham and her remains were transported to Sedro Woolley for burial in Union Cemetary next to her beloved William. Graveside services were performed by Father Patrick O'Brien her long time friend and priest.
