Leatha Williams Martin

Leatha Williams Martin was born September 20, 1926 in rural Reynolds County, Mo., the youngest child of Daniel Edward and Retta Martin Williams.  She died July 14, 2020 in Richmond, Texas.  She was 93 years of age.

Leatha spent her childhood in rural Missouri, beginning elementary school at the old Poplar School on Blair Creek and finishing at the old Dagonia School.  She was a member of the graduating class of 1943 at Ellington High School.  She was graduated from Southeast Missouri State University and received a Masters’ degree from University of Colorado.  She was a teacher and speech therapist in the early years and a homemaker most of her life.  She married Douglas L. Martin November 22, 1953 in Peoria, Ill.  They were the parents of five daughters, all of whom survive:  Nancy Posner of Sharon, Mass.; Alice Martin of Denver, Colo.; Jane Kohlheyer of Jefferson, Md.; Anne Blanco of Morris, Ill.; and Sarah Ryan of Galveston, Texas.  Also surviving are 13 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, 2 sisters, son-in-law, Robert Posner, granddaughter, Ellen Elizabeth Ryan, and great granddaughter, Ainsley Elizabeth Markham.

Leatha described herself as “an old-fashioned grandmother” who still wrote letters to her children and grandchildren and baked all her own bread.  She was a charter member of Faith United Methodist Church, Richmond, Texas.

In accordance with her wishes, Leatha’s body has been donated for scientific research to the University of Texas Medical School.  At a later date interment will be at the Bell Plain Baptist Cemetery, Pattonsburg, Ill.  Memorial donations can be made to Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, bbrfoundation.org.