Virginia Hope (Nelson) Martin (1921 - 2013)

Born 14 Aug 1921 in Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, United States

Ancestors

Wife of James Leon Martin — married 3 May 1947 in San Rafael, Marin, California, United States

Died 8 Jun 2013 at age 91 in Fresno, Fresno, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Gary Christopher [send private message]

Biography

Virginia was born on 14 Aug 1921 in Des Moines, Iowa.^[1] She is the eldest child of Orville Francis Nelson and Winifred Maud Wills. She graduated from Shipley Consolidated High School in 1939 and attended Iowa State College for two years. She graduated from Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) in 1943. Virginia taught business courses for two years at high schools in Casey and Ogden, Iowa, then decided there were greater opportunities in California. She worked as a secretary in the financial district in San Francisco and in San Rafael. She met James Leon Martin in a boarding house in San Rafael and they married on 3 May 1947 at San Rafael, California. Together they raised four children. Virginia took a vacation to Hawai’i in January 2013 and came down with pneumonia. She never completely healed and passed away on 8 Jun 2013 at St. Agnes Hospital in Fresno, California; she was interred at Millerton Lake Cemetery in Fresno.^[2]

Residences

• 1925- Kellogg Township, Jasper, Iowa, United States^[3]
• 1930 - Grant Township, Story, Iowa, United States^[4]
• 1935 - Grant Township, Story, Iowa, United States^[5]
• 1940 - Grant Township, Story, Iowa, United States^[5]

Obituary

Obituary retrieved from Find A Grave: Memorial #117489518; Published in the "Fresno Bee" newspaper June 13, 2013.

Virginia Hope Nelson Martin unexpectedly collapsed at a Baptist Church quarterly meeting on June 7, and died the next day, at age 91. She was active to the end, working in FBC's Holy Comforter ministry, expressing the love of Christ by making quilts for the homeless. She helped welcome Laotians to Fresno, helping them worship the lord by teaching piano. She rolled bandages for medical missions with the American Baptist Women, serving as ABW President at FBC in the '90s. Virginia raised four children, Larry, church-planter in Thailand, Paul, teacher, Susan, conference grounds registrar, and Ron, library assistant. She loved to cook for her family and to host visitors. Virginia valued health running with her family during the '70s fitness craze, serving as Secretary of the Fresno Joggers and publishing its newsletter while her husband Jim served as President. This culminated in running the Boston Marathon with her family. When Jim crushed a vertebrae in a construction accident, she took up the challenge of providing for the family, enrolling at Fresno State for a teaching credential then teaching business at Edison High School for 16 years. Jim moved Virginia and their two children to his home town of Fresno from San Rafeal to pursue construction: they had two more sons here. Virginia Nelson had taught in her native state of Iowa, but when she followed her California Dream to San Rafael after W.W. II, she took up secretarial work. She married a fellow boarder, James Martin, and helped him build a home while he worked in aircraft maintenance. They deepened their faith in Christ together as members of San Rafael Methodist Church. She was raised on a farm in Iowa near Ames. On Saturday God rested Virginia from her work, and took her home. She will be greatly missed by her family and all who knew her.

Sources

1. ↑ Iowa, Birth Records, 1921-1942, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP8G-892G), Virginia Hope Nelson, 14 Aug 1921; citing Birth, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, United States, State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines.
2. ↑ Find a Grave memorial page for Virginia Hope Nelson Martin (14 Aug 1921–8 Jun 2013), Find A Grave: Memorial #117489518; Maintained by Nancy (contributor 47266316).
3. ↑ "Iowa State Census, 1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKQC-4XZN : 21 June 2020), Virginia Nelson, Jasper, Iowa, United States; citing Jasper, Iowa, United States, Iowa State Historical Department, Des Moines; FHL microfilm .
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMKS-Z91), Virginia H Nelson in household of Orville F Nelson, Grant, Story, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 12, sheet 3A, line 22, family 52, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 683; FHL microfilm 2,340,418.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMBY-W9W), Virginia Nelson in household of O F Nelson, Grant Township, Story, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 85-15, sheet 6B, line 70, family 139, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1206.