Martin, Stella Marjorie Shantz (1915-2005)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Sep 5 p. 6

Birth date: 1915 Mar 9

text of obituary:

Former mission worker in Puerto Rico dies at age 90

By Menonite Mission Network

ORRVILLE, Ohio — Marjorie Shantz Martin, 90, a longtime missionary to Puerto Rico, died Aug. 19 of cancer at a local nursing home.

Martin was a missionary with the former Mennonite Board of Missions and served in Puerto Rico from 1947-70 and again for a month in 1994.

She served as a midwife in the rural mountains and according to co-workers, was well-loved by members of the Puerto Rican church.

Born March 9, 1915, at Freeport, Ont., the daughter of Benjamin B. and Myra Snyder Shantz, she married Phares D. Martin on May 2, 1970, in Orrville. He died Dec. 8, 1978.

Survivors include seven stepchildren, Ralph Martin and Carolyn Swartzendruber, both of Goshen, Ind., Alice, Grace and Wesley Martin, all of Orrville, Lois Zimmerly of Sterling and Velma Souder of Telford, Pa.; two brothers, Ralph Shantz of Cambridge, Ont., and Roy Shantz of New Hamburg, Ont.; 21 step-grandchildren, 52 step-great-grandchildren and 10 step-great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by three sisters, Violet good, Grace Metzger and Edna Hilborn; and three brothers, Clayton and Gordon Shantz and an infant.

The funeral was held Aug. 22 at Crown Hill Mennonite Church at Rittman, Ohio. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Sep 19 p. 11

text of obituary:

STELLA MARJORIE MARTIN

Stella Marjorie Martin, 90, of Orrville, Ohio, died Aug. 19, 2005. She was born March 9, 1915, to Benjamin B. and Myra (Snyder) Shantz at Freeport, Ont.

She trained at Kitchener Waterloo Hospital School of Nursing and graduated as an RN in 1942. She worked as a supervisor at the KW Hospital and did private duty nursing at Victorian Order of Nursing.

In 1945 she left for a 14-month assignment with Mennonite Central Committee at LaPlata Hospital in Puerto Rico. She then attended Goshen (Ind.) College in 1947-48. She returned to Puerto Rico with Mennonite Board of Missions and served there for 23 years in nursing, working as a midwife, starting a rural clinic, doing evangelism and starting a Sunday school and Mennonite fellowship.

She returned to Ontario and married Phares D. Martin on May 2, 1970. He preceded her in death on Dec. 8, 1978. After his death she made a number of trips to Puerto Rico, including several short terms of voluntary service.

She worked at Martin's Book Store in Orrville until her retirement. She served as a volunteer with Hospice of Wayne County and as a member of the Dunlap Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and the Mennonite Nurses Association. She was an active member of Crown Hill Mennonite Church.

Survivors include seven stepchildren, Alice Martin, Grace Martin and Wesley Martin and his wife, Mary Ellen, all of Orrville, Lois Zimmerly and her husband, Denny, of Sterling, Ralph Martin and his wife, Betty, and Carolyn Swartzendruber and her husband, Sandy, all of Goshen, Ind., and Velma Souder and her husband, Stanley, of Telford, Pa.; two brothers, Ralph Shantz of Cambridge, Ont., and Roy Shantz of New Hamburg, Ont.; a brother-in-law, Rae Hilborn of New Hamburg; 21 stepgrandchildren; 52 step-great-grandchildren and 10 step-great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by three sisters, Violet Good, Grace Metzger and Edna Hilborn; two brothers, Clayton and Gordon Shantz, and a brother in infancy; and a step-great-great-granddaughter.

Services were held at Crown Hill Mennonite Church of Rittman. Burial was in the church cemetery.