Longtime Montana resident Virginia Martin, 83, passed away as quietly as she had lived, the evening of March 1, 2008, at the home of her daughter in Bremerton, Wash.
Virginia was born Aug. 28, 1924, to Clarence and Mary Graves on a farm at Clear Creek, 22 miles south of Chinook, Mont.. She received her early education in a oneroom school house south of Lohman, Mont. And graduated high school at Hingham, Mont.. Virginia met the love of her life, Luther B. (Brock) Martin on a blind date. She was a first year nursing student in Havre, and he was a handsome young railroad telegrapher. They married Sept. 3, 1943. Virginia followed Brock from one railroad town to another as he accepted a series of promotions with the Great Northern Railroad. There was often little or no advance notice on the transfers, but she happily packed their children and belongings and looked forward to the new adventure without hesitation. Brock passed away in 1964 and she never remarried. Following Brock’s death, Virginia supported her family by working several years as a nurse at hospitals in Great Falls and later as a clerk at a neighborhood drugstore. In the early ’70s Virginia partnered with a business associate to purchase and operate the Medical Arts Pharmacy. The business operated successfully for many years in downtown Great Falls. Virginia was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, Robert, William and Mary Ann. She is survived by her younger sister, Ruby DeFrance of Missoula. Virginia is also survived by her loving children: daughters, Laura Leigland Aimi (Alfred) of Lolo, Mont., Marilyn Adair (John) of Bremerton, Wash., Dennis Nicholson (Ole) of Seattle, and her sons: Alan Martin (Susan) of Issaquah, Wash., David Martin (Suzanne) of Florence, Mont., Lacey Martin (Anne) of Coventry, R.I., and Brandon Martin (Debby) of Glendive, Mont., and grandchildren who will miss their Gramma Martin very much. Cremation has taken place, and Virginia’s wishes were to be buried near Brock. Her children will make it so in the spring when the leaves on the cottonwoods are green. Memorial donations to Hospice of Kitsap County, 3100 Bucklin Hill Rd, Silverdale, WA 98383.
