Carolyn Jeanice Martin
July 7, 1933 – December 4, 2025
Carolyn Jeanice Martin, 92, of Ottumwa, Iowa passed away on December 4, 2025 at the Bloomfield Care Center in Bloomfield, Iowa after 8 months of declining health. Carolyn was born on the family farm northeast of Lancaster, Missouri on July 7, 1933, the second child to Ralph Edwin Martin and Mary Marguerite (Aeschliman) Martin. She grew up on the family farm and attended the Lancaster Public Schools, graduating in 1951. She then attended Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University) for two years. She was a member of the Sigma-Sigma-Sigma sorority and later became a life member.
In 1953, she obtained a job with John Morrell & Company and moved to Ottumwa, Iowa. She started as a key punch operator and later worked in the development laboratory. In 1973 Morrells closed operations in Ottumwa, and she went to work for John Deere until her retirement in 1997. She never missed a day between jobs as her last day at Morrells was on a Friday and she started at Deere the following Monday.
During her younger years, she began bowling and became very accomplished at it. Her team traveled around to tournaments in the Midwest.
As a youngster, she accepted Christ and became a member of the Lancaster Christian Church. Later she became a member of the Ottumwa First Christian Church (DOC) and served in many offices and positions until they closed in 2017. She then transferred to the Bladensburg Christian Church (DOC).
Carolyn is survived by two brothers, Donald (Linda Kaye) and Jon (Linda) and a brother-in-law, Larry Hurley; nieces and nephews, Lisa (Steve) Silvers, Matthew (Julie) Martin, Rhett Hurley, Ben (Charla) Martin, Ched (Traci) Hurley, Sarah (Cleve) Schuetzeberg and Kristie (Andy) Miller; 17 great nieces and nephews; 22 great great nieces and nephews all of whom she loved and enjoyed.
Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents; grandparents, Frank and Luretta (Fulton) Aeschliman and Ira and Ethel (Alexander) Martin; her older sister, Marilyn Martin and younger sister, Joyce Hurley.
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Funeral services will be on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Norman Funeral Home in Lancaster, Missouri with Larry Smith, Pastor of the Bladensburg Christian Church in Bladensburg, Iowa officiating. Special selections of “In The Garden”, “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” and “The Old Rugged Cross” will be performed. Pallbearers will be Steve Silvers, Matthew Martin, Rhett Hurley, Ben Martin, Ched Hurley and Andy Miller. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral services from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Norman Funeral Home in Lancaster, Missouri. Memorials have been established for the Bladensburg Christian Church, 4135 Bladensburg Road, Ottumwa, Iowa 52501. Online condolences may be expressed to the family by logging on to normanfh.com. Burial will be in the Arni Memorial Cemetery in Lancaster, Missouri. Arrangements are under the direction of the Norman Funeral Home of Lancaster, Missouri.