Martha Elizabeth Klein died at the age of 98 on March 28, 2009 at a care center in Gresham.
Viewing will be Thursday afternoon April 2, 2009 at Sandy Funeral Home from 4-7 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Friday April 3, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sandy Assembly of God Church with a luncheon to follow. Private burial will be held at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Martha was born on November 16, 1910 to William Hamilton Klein and Lucy May (Barnes) Smith in Niobrara, Nebraska. She grew up on a farm near Gregory, South Dakota and graduated from Gregory high school in 1930.
On November 30, 1933, Martha married Richard George Klein in Gregory, South Dakota. They had one son, Dean William Klein. They lived on a farm near the community of Lucas, South Dakota. In 1936, during the dust bowl in South Dakota, Martha and Richard moved to Oregon. They cleared and farmed 20 acres of land on Trubel Road in Sandy where they raised cattle and hay and even strawberries for a while.
Martha attended Sandy Baptist Chapel and Sandy Assembly of God Church. She enjoyed crocheting, reading, making ceramics and growing flowers. She also loved singing and playing the piano as well as writing poetry.
She delighted in her two granddaughters. They spent many happy times together out at the farm in Sandy. Martha and Richard’s granddaughter, Melody Oliver and her family now live on the farm.
Martha’s husband, Richard preceded her in death on July 4, 1998. They were married for 64 years. Also preceding her in death were her parents, William and Lucy Smith of South Dakota, her brother, Isaac Smith of South Dakota and two sisters, Lucy Hedlund of South Dakota and Irene Parker of Sandy.
Surviving is her son Dean Klein of Portland; sister, Myrtle Tappe of Crocker, Missouri; granddaughters, Monica Griffith of Portland and Melody Oliver of Sandy; four great granddaughters, Angie and Cindy Cowell, Ellie and Etienne Oliver; and one great grandson, Conor Oliver.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Doernbecher Children’s Cancer Program - 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road; Mail Code CR145; Portland, Oregon 97239.