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IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Ruth M.
Martens
July 25, 1933 – February 18, 2016
Obituary
Ruth attended Orange High School and graduated from Concordia High School. Seward, Nebraska where she continued her education at Concordia Teachers College. Ruth taught third grade at St. John's in Orange and Zion Lutheran School, Anaheim, California. During those years she met and married her husband Edmund Martens who was on the faculty with her at St. John's. She assisted him in his position as Minister of Music and she was organ accompanist for his choirs. Ruth taught private piano to many students in Orange and in Seward where Edmund became a part of the music faculty at Concordia. She served as tour coordinator for the eight European concert tours taken by the Concordia A Cappella Choir. She is known as "Mom" to hundreds of choir members yet today.
After retirement and their move to Lincoln, Ruth volunteered at Lincoln Eiseley Library and tutored English as a Second Language to several women immigrants. At Redeemer Lutheran she sang in the choir, occasionally accompanied at the organ, and was a member of the Brown Bag Bible Class.
Survivors include her husband of 59 years, Edmund; four daughters, Allegra (Clark) Koehler of Seward, Melanie Martens of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Renee (Rick) Nolte of Nehawka, and Ronda (Rodney) Wescott of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota; son, Sean (Brenda) Martens of Apple Valley, Minnesota; sister-in-law Dorothy Schnackenberg of Carpinteria, California; ten grandchildren, Gavin (Michaela) Koehler of Gretna, Alexander (Sami) Koehler of Lincoln, Nathan Nolte of Omaha, Justin (Morgan) Nolte of Plattsmouth, Rachel and Rebecca Wescott of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Devin (Megan) Martens of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Zachary, Madeline, and Luke Martens of Apple Valley.
Ruth was preceded in death by her grandson, Ian Edmund Koehler, her parents, Emil and Martha Schnackenberg and her brothers, Robert and Victor (Norma) Schnackenberg.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts to the Martens Music Scholarship Fund at Concordia University, Seward, to Redeemer Lutheran Church, Lincoln, or to donors' choice.
Services
Family Receiving Friends
Zabka Funeral Home
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Graveside Services and Interment
Greenwood Cemetery
Starts at 9:00 am
Celebration of Life
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Starts at 11:00 am
Ruth M. Martens's Guestbook
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