Nellie Ruth Martens

Milan, Illinois
Nellie Ruth Martens, 82, of Milan, Illinois, died Thursday, February 17, 2005, in her home.
Services are 9:40 a.m. Monday at Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Coal Valley, and 10:00 a.m. Monday, at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, with Rev. Michael Schaab officiating. Burial is in St. Mary's Cemetery, East Moline. Visitation is 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home, where a Wake Service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Memorials may be made to the church.
Nellie Ruth Larson was born January 22, 1923, in Cordova, Illinois, to John Felix and Iva Mae (Case) Larson. She married Leon C. Martens on July 24, 1942, in Lompoc, California. He died July 8, 1986. They farmed in the Osco/Orion area for nearly 40 years, before retiring from active farming and moving outside Milan. Nellie continued to manage the family farm until her death.
She was a member of St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, Coal Valley, and active in the Widow and Widowers group. She loved her grandkids and great-grandkids.
Nellie is survived by four children and their spouses, Elaine and Robert DeKezel of Holland, Pennsylvania, Sandi McSwain of Orion, Dean and Sandy Martens of Milan, and Joyce and Robert Wiese of Littleton, Colorado; 12 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; three sisters and a brother-in-law, Helen Rebenar of Port Byron, Hazel Joseph of Moline, and Elinor and Don Griffin of Moline; two sisters-in-law, Jeanene Larson of Port Byron and Alice Baker of Waco, Texas; and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Albert and Dorothy Martens of Orion. She was preceded in death by her husband; a son-in-law, Robert McSwain, a granddaughter, a great-granddaughter, one brother and two sisters.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.