Susan Emma Martin died Saturday, January 26, 2019, at her home in Wichita at the age of 97. She was born on July 12, 1921, at home in Buckhart, Missouri, to Claude Herbert Hibbard and Halie Melissa (Uhlmann) Hibbard.
She was the third of four children and grew up in rural Douglas County, MO. She attended rural schools through 8th grade, and graduated from the Ava public high school. She earned her teaching degree from Springfield Teachers College, Springfield, MO, and later received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.
Susan taught in rural schools in Missouri and in Yelm, Washington, before returning to school for a degree in journalism. She worked for newspapers in Cape Girardeau, MO, and in Ajo and Tucson, AZ. During World War II, while in Washington, she pumped gas at a service station and trained to identify airplanes as part of a citizen safety effort.
She married William Dale Martin on Feb. 4, 1956, in Phoenix, AZ. They traveled with Dale’s job to many states before settling in rural Concordia in 1965.
Susan worked as a librarian for McKinley School in Concordia, and as a secretary for a law office and for the Concordia High School. She later worked for the Concordia Blade-Empire as a reporter and, for many years, wrote a column, Prairie Ponderings. She also wrote for the Kansas Senior Press.
She was a member of the Concordia First United Methodist Church; Chapter AO, P.E.O.; Atheneum Study Club; Cloud County Genealogical Society; Cloud County Historical Society; and Awakenings. She volunteered for North Central Kansas CASA and Cloud County Hospice. Susan enjoyed writing, literature, politics and world issues, genealogy, blue grass music and good grammar. She loved her family and, by her own declaration, she loved her grandchildren the most.
Although she lived in many states for many years, she never forgot or lost her love for Douglas County, Missouri and the beautiful hills of the Ozarks.
She is survived by her three children and their spouses: William H. (Ronda) Martin, Wichita; Mary Susan (Paul) Buhl, Olathe; and Patrick Dale (Alice) Martin, Louisburg; her grandchildren, Elsie Buhl, Phoebe Buhl, and Leo Martin; nieces and nephews, David (Becky) Hibbard, Piedmont, MO; Jana (Gary) Weiss, Powell, WY.; John (Pat) Sheldon, Guthrie, OK; Mark Sheldon, McPherson; and Miles (Linda) Sheldon, Medicine Lodge, KS; several great-nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dale; her parents; brother, Glenn A. Hibbard and wife Zola; sister, Grace E. Sheldon and husband Ray; baby sister, Elsie Joyce Hibbard; niece, Rae Ann Sheldon; and granddaughter, Emma Grace Buhl.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church in Concordia, with Pastor Melanie Adams officiating. Visitation will be at the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home from 11 am to 8 pm on Friday, Feb. 1 with the family greeting friends from 7-8 pm. Burial will take place at a later date in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, following cremation. The family suggests memorials to the Concordia First United Methodist Church, North Central Kansas CASA, or a Hospice of the donor’s choice, in care of the funeral home. For online condolences, please visit www.chaputbuoy.com.