Lola Kathryn Martin, 87
Lola Kathryn Martin, 87, of Sandpoint, Idaho, passed away, Feb. 23, 2005.
Private family services have been held.
Lola was born in Lenora, Kan., on Aug. 19, 1917, the oldest of four children to John Andrew and Grace Eileen Schoen.
She was a strong family person. She was also a serious musician practicing her first piano lessons on a paper copy of a keyboard, and only playing an actual piano at the teacher's house.
She was active in the local music scene, performing locally in churches and at public events. She was a supportive wife who moved with her husband from one city to the next, at one point owning 10 different homes in different cities in 20 years. She'd say, "Just give me a piano, and I can be happy anywhere." She had the routine down. She'd arrive in a new town, get a library card, check out the music store and the local churches, and start her piano classes all over again.
Her resourcefulness came from a childhood spent on a rural Kansas farm and stayed with her her whole life. She talked of making their underwear, and the going-away suit after her farm wedding was a man's suit she had cut down to fit her. Her childhood was filled with a strong work ethic and all the jobs and skills of a rural farm girl.
Lola Kathryn had a real gutsy, keep going, enjoyment of life, and understanding of who she was, and what she saw as her job in life. There was no space for moping around. Three weeks after colon cancer surgery and months of illness that preceded this, she played the music for a friend's funeral, saying, he really deserved some nice music.
Her request, when asked what she wanted to do for her 80th birthday, was to go huckleberry picking. When she was told she had Alzheimer's disease, she wrote in the family history, "Lola told she has Alzheimer's, continues doing music and normal things." She approached and lived with this disease with just pure guts.
Lola loved the Festival at Sandpoint, and was the festival historian for several years. She was a member of PEO. Her greatest achievement was her approach to life. She was well loved and respected by her community, and particularly her family.
She is survived by two brothers, Doyle and Edwin Schoen; two daughters, Lois Benson, 4890 Londonberry Dr., Santa Rosa, CA 95403; and Eileen Martin, 1124 W. 10th Ave, Spokane, WA 99204; four grandchildren, Lisa and Paul Benson and Michael and Erin Crooks; and a great-grandchild, Sam Benson. She was preceded in death by her sister Viola in 1977.
Memorial donations may be made to The Festival at Sandpoint, PO Box 695, Sandpoint, ID 83864.
Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Lola's memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign her online guest book.