Margie Martin

Margie Cliftene Fewell Martin was born on September 4, 1923 to Edward Claude and Johnnie McCleskey Fewell, in Dublin, Texas, Erath County. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Henry Martin, Jr., daughter Nancy Karen Martin Richardson, her parents, all 4 grandparents: Frances Crawford Fewell, Mason Conor Fewell, William Columbus McCleskey and Dorothy Jane Dulin McCleskey; brother, John Edward Fewell (baby boy Fewell) buried in Moody, TX, and 2 half-brothers: Cecil Herbert Fewell (buried in Dublin), and Clifford Barron Fewell (buried in Restland in Dallas); nephew Kenneth Wayne Fewell (buried in Dublin), and niece Barbara Fewell. Survived by two daughters and one son; Katheryne Martin Williams of Longmont, CO; James David Martin and wife Vivian of Mission Viejo, CA, and Linda Carol Martin Newell and husband Michael of New Hope, TX; three grand children: Troy Martin Williams of Longmont, CO, Sarah Ashley Martin of Honolulu, HI, and Alyssa Nicole Martin of Los Angeles, CA.

Margie graduated from Dublin High School of Dublin, TX in May 1941 as Salutatorian. She received home economic honors, played on the girl's soft ball team, and participated in interscholastic league typing contest receiving second place in district. She was listed in the Who's Who of American High Schools and received a gold pin for that. She graduated from John Tarleton Junior college, Stephenville, TX, in January 1943, and was on the Dean's List. Margie attended Parkland School of Nursing in Dallas for 8 months before leaving to marry Lt. James Henry Martin, Jr. on September 18, 1943 at the Methodist Church in Dublin. After he returned from WWII, they lived in College Station while he was completing his degree. Afterwards they lived in the Baytown, TX area for 23 years, where James was a mechanical engineer for Humble Oil & Refining Co. which is now known as Baytown Exxon Refinery. Exxon transferred them to Exxon's Baton Rouge Chemical Plant in January 1970. Margie obtained her Practical Nurse license after graduating from Baton Rouge Vo-Tech School on October 7, 1971, and worked as a nurse in Louisiana for 15 years. She was active in the National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses and the LPN associations for 18 years in Louisiana. She worked at Earl K. Long Memorial Hospital in Baton Rouge and at Lane Memorial Hospital in Zachary, LA. Jim retired from Exxon on August 1, 1986, and Margie retired from Lane Memorial on October 1, 1986. They moved to Texas September 22, 1988.

Margie belonged to the following organizations:
Member of Christ United Methodist Church of Princeton, TX; formerly a member of Wesley U.M.C. in McKinney, TX where she served as an At Large Member of the Administrative council; there she was a member of the United Methodist Women, and Prime Timers. Formerly Margie was a member of First United Methodist Church in Belton, TX where she was a member of the Church Council, served as Health & Welfare & Outreach chair and co-chair; UMW member and held several offices in the UMW, Patterson Open Door Sunday School Class, and Chancel choir member; she also served as one of the Devotional Leaders for weekly services at Park Place Nursing Home Prayer group and the Serendipity Book Club. First United Methodist Church of Belton awarded Margie the Mission Recognition Award for the year of 2001.
Margie was also a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (Sam Houston Chapter in Belton), the Dublin Historical Society, and the Old Dublin Memorial Park Association which her mother helped to organize. James and Margie were both members of the Exxon Annuitants Heart of Texas Chapter in Waco and the Bell County Sportsman's Club. They worked in the Helping Hands Food Pantry of Belton for several years. Jim delivered bread and pastry for the food pantry for years.
In younger years Margie held many offices in the Methodist Church, and served as Sunday School teacher several years and as Youth Superintendent at Highlands UMC. They were both Jr. High UMYF leaders, and Margie was a Girl Scout Leader for two troops and active in the P.T.A. at Lynchburg Elementary School.

Also in Highlands (actually, Lynchburg community) Margie made wedding cakes (after taking 3 cake decorating courses); and took 2 upholstery courses, and did some upholstery work. In Zachary, LA Margie was a UMW officer and Circle leader at Zachary UMC for 4 years, and sang in the chancel choir for a few years. Margie created a few wedding and other special cakes there, and especially enjoyed giving teas and receptions for the staff of Lane Nursing Home and for the ambulatory residents.