(Note: Information originally submitted and provided by Craig Snyder)
Obituary from Martha's funeral, Thursday, December 12, 2002
Martha Ann Sapp was born Martha Ann Brown on august 17, 1910, in the country home where the Browns lived near Southwick, Idaho. She was named after her Grandma Brown, who always wanted a granddaughter named after her. Martha said, "I was the last of ten children, so I ended up the one." From the age of two until thirteen, Martha and her family lived in five different places in Idaho. When Martha was thirteen, the family moved to Kendrick, Idaho. Their first year there, Martha's mother died. After her mother's death, Martha lived with her older sisters until she was seventeen.
At the age of seventeen, while living in Cavendish, Idaho, she met Fred Olen Sapp, Sr. Just before Martha turned eighteen, on July 2, 1928, in Orofino, Idaho, Fred and Martha were married. They honeymooned in Canada. On June 9, 1929, while living in Kendrick, Idaho, they welcomed their first son, Fred Olen Sapp, Jr. into the family.
Martha and Fred Sr. lived in several places in Idaho, and finally settled, more or less, in Juliaetta, where, four years after Fred Jr.'s birth, they welcomed a daughter, Norma Naomi, on July 8. Martha's husband, Fred Sr., was pastor of the Methodist church in Juliaetta. In the course of their marriage, Fred Sr. pastured a series of churches, including the Colton, Shady Brook, Clarkston, Lewiston, Spokane, and Weiser Advent Christian Churches. In addition to being in the pastorate, Fred and Martha worked in the orchards, bean fields, and the hop yards to make ends meet. In the face of so many moves, Martha learned the fine art of being flexible and of making a warm home for her husband and children.
While living in Salem, Oregon in 1943, Fred and Martha celebrated the birth of their second daughter, Joan Marlene, on September 16th; and two years later their fourth and last child, James Ronald, made his appearance on October 5th.
In 1948, Fred Jr. went into the navy, and in 1949 the Sapp family moved to Weiser, Idaho, where Fred Sr. pastured the Advent Christian Church. In Weiser, Martha worked first at Warren's dry cleaners and then at the Weiser nursing home. They lived in Weiser until December of 1973, when Fred Sr. passed away. After Fred Sr.'s death, Martha lived part of the year with her son and daughter-in-law, Fred Jr. and Paula, in Medford, Oregon, and the rest of the year with her daughter and son-in-la w, Norma and Vernon Jacks, in Midvale, Idaho. When Martha became too ill to travel back and forth between Oregon and Idaho, she stayed with Norma in Midvale. She lived with Norma and Vernon until her death.
Martha is survived by her four children, by six grandchildren (Rodney, Kevin, Karen, Kirk, Jamie, Kenny), and by eight great-grandchildren (Heather, Christopher Sean, Christopher James, Ashley, Tamlyn, Benjemen, Tre, Jayden), all of whom lived he r dearly. She was known to all for her sense of humor; her unyielding faith in god; her wonderful alto singing voice; her beautiful crocheted doilies and "snowflakes" for the Christmas tree; and her almost magical "raisin-filled cookies," which are still a much coveted treat in the Sapp family. Martha enjoyed and was proud of all her children and loved being with her family. Some of her greatest joys were listening to her children and grandchildren sing; watching her husband, children , and grandchildren play rousing croquet games; listening to grandson Rodney play the guitar or banjo; listening to her eldest, Fred Jr. preach or sing. Martha played the piano and, when she received a guitar from grandson Rodney, she learned t o play it as well.
Above all, Martha loved her lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She spoke often of His faithfulness, His sustaining love, His place in her heart and life. When she had trouble sleeping in her later years, she said it just gave her that much more time to pray. She began each day talking to the Lord, and ended it thanking Him. Though we mourn her loss, we rejoice that the next face Martha sees will be the face of the One she loved so dearly: Jesus. And we look forward to that great day when we will be with her again in eternity. Until that time, may we, in our words and actions, carry on Martha's legacy of faith and love. And may God be with each of us, leading and guiding us, and reminding us of the wondrous gift he gave us in Martha, our sweet mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Transcribed by Jo Frederiksen