Lily M. Martin, 91, passed away on September 29, 2020, in Abilene, Kansas. She was born September 24, 1929, in Galena, Kansas, the daughter of G.M. and Rose Sigler Armstrong. She attended the Galena Schools and graduated in 1947, valedictorian of her class. On November 23, 1947, she was married to Paul J. Martin in Galena, Kansas, and they were the parents of a son, Stan, and daughter, Paula. She had been a resident of Abilene since 1948 when she and her husband moved to Abilene where he was employed by the Rasher Funeral Home. In 1958, they purchased the funeral home, and she then became an assistant funeral director for the Martin Funeral Home until retiring in 1988. Always impeccably dressed, it made perfect sense when she opened a women’s clothing store, The Fashionmaker, in 1969, which she operated until her retirement in 1988.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Abilene, Past President of Chapter GY, P.E.O., and Past Matron of Abilene Chapter #111 O.E.S.
She was preceded in death by her son, Stan, in 1999; her parents; and two sisters, Rev. Janet Sevier Gilbreath in 1988 and Marjorie DeSpain in 2005.
She is survived by her husband; her daughter, Paula Martin, and her husband, Kurt Falkenstien, of Lawrence; her daughter-in-law, Victoria Martin, of Longmont, Colorado; four grandchildren, Jack Martin (Sarah) of Seattle, Washington; Ty Martin (Jill) of Longmont, Colorado; Jessica Lindfors (Jordan) of Browns Summit, North Carolina; and Kate Martin Falkenstien (Rich Boltizar) of Boise, Idaho; as well as four great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
Funeral services will be at the First Baptist Church in Abilene on Friday, October 2 at 10:30 a.m. with private burial in the Abilene Cemetery. Friends may sign the book at the funeral home prior to the service. The service will be streamed live over Zoom at www.tinyurl.com/LilMartinFuneral, which can be viewed using a computer or smartphone. If you need help installing Zoom or accessing the live stream, you may call Rich Boltizar at 208-546-9052.
Memorials to the First Baptist Church of Abilene or the Shriners’ Crippled Children’s Hospital may be sent to the Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home, 414 NW 3rd, Abilene, Kansas 67410. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.martinbeckercarlson.com.