Emma Martel

The funeral service for Emma Martel, 102, of Hosmer, was at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, September 25, 2021 at Gramm Funeral Home in Ipswich. Burial was at Bethany Cemetery in Hosmer.

Emma was born January 21, 1919 to Adam and Pauline (Lehr) Gramm near Hosmer. She was raised on the family farm and was baptized at the St. Paul Lutheran Church. She attended country school in Cleveland Township and then helped on the family farm and did house work for other relatives in the area.

She and her friend Maggie went to Minneapolis where they worked at the Swift Meat plant in St. Paul and later at a gun powder plant in Rosemount, Minn. After a short while they returned to Hosmer. She moved to Washington for some time to help with house work for relatives and was able to see the love of her life, Walter, while he was doing military training there.

Emma married Walter Martel in 1946. They made their home on Walter's parent's farm. While they worked together on the farm, she also found time for raising flowers and vegetables in her garden and to raise their four children, Charles, Ruby, Donald and Elaine.

Emma was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Hosmer Senior Citizen's Home Auxiliary. She served in leadership roles in both organizations over the years.

In 1982 she and Walter moved into Hosmer where she grew vegetables and flowers in her beautiful gardens. Even though she was older than many of her friends, she became their driver and took them to appointments, dinners and shopping in area towns.

She moved to Aberdeen and lived at Primrose Apartments in late 2006. She later moved to Bethesda Home where she passed away on Monday, September 20, 2021.

Left to remember her smile and kindness are her children, Charles (Alayne) Martel of Lansdale, Penn., Ruby (Ron) Fuhrmann of Oro Valley, Ariz., Don (Christine) Martel of Aberdeen, and Elaine (Gary) Scherbenski of Aberdeen; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Her parents, husband, two brothers and one sister preceded her in death.

Arrangements by Gramm Funeral Home, Ipswich. Memories may be shared at grammfuneralhome.com .