MARTIN, Audrey (Essie)

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ August 2, 2007 Audrey "Essie" Martin, 97, of Lakeside died Aug. 1, 2007, at her home. Mrs. Martin, a retired daycare provider and baker for Wilbur's Market, was born Sept. 19, 1909, in Harrisburg, Okla. She spent part of her childhood in Oklahoma, before moving with her family to Phoenix in 1917. She attended Phoenix Union High School. Following school she married Quillar H. "Buster" Martin, and Essie helped care for Buster's parents. At the onset of WWII she began working at Air Research and worked there on the assembly line during the duration of the war. Once the war was over, she owned Martin's Day Nursery at 32nd St and Fillmore in Phoenix. Essie and Buster moved to Lakeside in 1965; she was a homemaker and then went to work for Wilbur's Market. Buster preceded her in death in July 1984. She retired in 1987. During her retirement, she volunteered at the Lakeside Senior Center as an exercise instructor. Essie enjoyed bridge, dominos and working in her yard. She was very independent and lived independently until the final month of her life. She is survived by her two daughters, Betty Angel of Bullhead City and Audry Lehr of Estancia, N.M.; a son, Bill Martin of Akron, Ohio; one sister, Esther Korinek of Phoenix; 14 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren. Essie was preceded in death by her daughter, Roberta Foley; nine siblings as well as her parents, Tom and Maude Ridgeway. A visitation will be held at Owens Mortuary of Show Low Friday, Aug. 3, from 6-8 p.m. with a prayer service beginning at 7 p.m. Contributions may be made in the name of Audrey "Essie" Martin to RTA Hospice and Palliative Care at 1789 W. Commerce Dr., Lakeside, AZ 85929. Owens Mortuary of Show Low handled the arrangements.