Maxine Martin Obituary

Maxine Mary Alice Oldridge Martin

Memorial services for Maxine Mary Alice Oldridge Martin, 101, Lawrence, will be held at a later date. Burial will follow at Hiawatha Cemetery, Hiawatha, KS. She passed away Friday, November 19, 2015 at Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community.

Maxine was born and raised in Hiawatha, KS, the daughter of Joseph Franklin and Grace (Parks) Oldridge on January 7, 1914.

She married Bernard H. Martin December 25, 1936. Maxine stayed in Hiawatha to finish the school year as she was teaching school at White Hall Grade School. They then moved to Kansas City where he was studying art under Thomas Hart Benton. After working as a commercial artist, in 1943 Bernard and his brother, Bill Martin began a publishing company that published children's books. Maxine assisted them in the publishing business.

They sold the business and bought a travel trailer and traveled the country and Bernard painted throughout their travels and they sold and exhibited his paintings.

In 1947 they purchased a home in Lake Lotawana where Bernard worked in his studio producing commercial art and Maxine was as the business manager. In 1960 they hiked the Appalachian Trail for ten days. They then traveled the country for 15 years writing articles on hunting and fishing for the Denver Post, The Seattle Times, The Kansas City Star and many others. He preceded her in death in 1998. After Bernards death she continued to exhibit and sell his work, serve as an election judge, and was active in her church and community.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and five siblings, Geraldine Pederson, Margaret Meyer, Jack and Cleo Oldridge and Colleen Lea.

In 2005 Maxine moved to Wichita to live with her sister. Upon her sisters death, she moved to Lawrence to live with her niece, Norma (Jim) Rose. She was a resident of Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community at the time of her death.

She is survived by many nieces and nephews who have many memories of the weekends they would spend at Lake Lotawana with Aunt Max and Uncle Bernard.

Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the First Christian Church in Hiawatha, KS and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

Online condolences may be sent to www.warrenmcelwain.com.

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