Martha Pease

Martha Pease was a gentle and easygoing woman who lived her life to serve others in ways both great and small. No one ever left her table hungry as she loved to cook for anyone and everyone. A loving and devoted wife, Martha and her beloved Harold seemed to be cut from the same cloth as they shared many of the same interests and passions and were rarely apart. The boys they raised together were their great pride and joy and when her family grew to include grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Martha was thrilled. When Martha was a friend she was a friend for life and rare was the time that she met a stranger. A truly remarkable woman, the memories she leaves behind will be forever etched on the hearts of those whose lives she touched.

Nearly a century has passed since our nation was entrenched in the throes of WWI with countless servicemen fighting for the preservation of the freedoms we still enjoy today. The year 1918 was the year we saw the Allied powers gain the upper hand, bringing the war to a close. This was also the year that the nation’s clocks were set ahead one hour for the first time, the deadly flu pandemic hit a peak of 202 deaths daily as nearly one-quarter of our nation was sick, and the nation experienced the worst railroad accident in history. This year was one of great joy, however, for the family of Elmer and Cora (Harris) Weir as they welcomed their daughter, Martha, on November 27th. Born in Alto, Michigan, Martha was the seventh of nine children in her family. Her father worked on the railroad while her mother had more than enough to keep her busy at home. The Weir family remained in Alto for a time, but later moved to Grand Ledge. Martha attended local schools including Grand Ledge High School through the 11th grade.

Great changes were in store for Martha while she was still in high school when she met the young man with whom she would write an eloquent love story. His name was Harold Pease and ironically, he came to the Weir home to go on a date with Martha’s sister. He couldn’t help but be captivated with the young Martha who was playing the piano and singing and before the evening’s end, it was Martha he was taking home. Soon after leaving school, Martha and Harold were married on May 23, 1936, in Lansing, Michigan. Since they both loved fishing, it seems only fitting that they spent their honeymoon fishing at Evans Lake.

The couple returned home and was anxious to settle into their new life together. Harold farmed for a few years and then started working for the railroad. Martha worked on a Matthews Ice Cream truck route for awhile and then worked at a grocery store before settling in at Nick’s Fruit Market in St. Johns. She remained there for 20 years before retiring.

Nothing could have been better than when Martha and Harold were blessed with three sons, Harold, Richard, and Roger. She was a great mother who nurtured her sons and taught them manners, too. Usually, the Pease home was the preferred hangout for the boys and their friends.

After they retired, Martha and Harold moved to Houghton Lake where she were very involved in the Houghton Lake Association. They also had much more time to pursue their interests. Martha and Harold loved to hunt and fish, and they found Rogers City to be one of their favorite spots. Squirrels were Martha’s favorite thing to hunt and walleye were her preferred catch. When she wasn’t hunting or fishing, you could be sure she was bowling. Those who knew Martha knew that she loved to cook and waiting on others was her specialty. In fact, others even affectionately compared her to “Old Mother Hen.” Although she was usually active, Martha also loved to play cards including both euchre and hand and foot. She made a point of always remembering everyone’s birthdays and anniversaries, and she never had a bad thought about anyone.

Together Martha and Harold shared a rich and fulfilling marriage and they were truly the best of friends. Harold was the most important person in her life and he felt the same about her. After going on a trip without his wife once, Harold came home and when he got home Martha declared, “Never again.” That would prove to be the one and only time that either of them ever went on a trip without the other. The days following Martha’s beloved Harold’s death on January 30, 2006, were understandably so difficult for her to live through.

There are some who see serving others to be of little value, but nothing could have been father from the truth in Martha Pease’s eyes. She was a kind and compassionate woman who brought so much joy to those around her. Martha was a hard worker who lived an active life, yet found true beauty in every step along the way. Never taking one day for granted, Martha captured each moment and made it her own. She never said much but when asked, she always had an opinion, and her words were laced with wisdom gleaned from the school of life. As Martha’s family and friends now say goodbye, they will be forever grateful for having been loved by such an extraordinary woman.

Martha A. Pease died on October 27, 2010, in Ovid, Michigan. Martha’s family includes her three sons, Harold D. (Susan) Pease of Ovid, Richard (Diane) Pease of DeWitt and Roger (Sharon) Pease of Arizona; 19 grandchildren 24 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great- grandchildren; her sister, Tressa Cornell of Owosso; and brothers, Elmer Weir and James Weir, both of Grand Ledge, and Eldon “Bud” Weir, of Lansing. Martha was preceded in death by her husband; grandchildren, Michael and Miriah Pease; great-granddaughter, Valerie Pease; sisters Ruth Morgridge, Lila Lumbert, Orselia Matz, and brother Sidney Weir. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m., Monday, November 1, 2010, at the Osgood Funeral Home, with Pastor Audie Clairmont officiating. The family will receive friends at the Osgood Funeral Home, 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, and 2-4 p.m. on Sunday. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to The American Cancer Society-Lansing Office or The American Heart Assoc.-Lansing Office.