Obituary: Verna Martin

Throughout her life, Verna kept pets whose behaviors always reflected her gentle ways. As a little girl, she had a sweet little Chihuahua who patiently wore doll clothes and sat by the door until she’d return from school. Many knew how Verna was adored by her precious kitty babies in her life, such as Bart, Snickers, and Potato. As Verna grew up, she’d excel in her studies, music, church studies, and so forth. Socially, she always made a friend in everyone she met. In high school, she was well-liked and very popular, yet never snubbed her nose at anyone nor talked down to others. Among all the kids she went to school with, she’d eventually be charmed by a teenager, named Dennie, a shy boy whom, with Verna, would ignite a love that endured for decades.

Eventually, at a fairly young age, Verna Lynne Hatch married Dennie Dell Martin in Lewiston, Idaho. Soon after, she became pregnant with her daughter Tammy and years later, a son, Jason. Throughout the many years since, Bernie, as she was often called by her husband and closest family, would prove to be a wonderful wife and mother. Modeling her parents, Verna would create a life at home, full of love for each other and for others. She’d dutifully support her husband as he ventured into new businesses to support the family. Because they both liked so many of the same things, they could easily enjoy spending more time together with meals in and movies out, vacations to fun and exotic places, and all manner of outings with relatives and friends, all without excluding each others’ interests.

Of paramount importance to Verna, in addition to the love and care of her family, was her relationship to God and to being a good Christian servant to others around her. Verna made it her mission to help others whenever she could. She’d do the work of the Lord by sharing the love of Jesus, first with her family, leading each of them to Christ, and also by demonstrating Christ’s love to others. Eventually, the time of Verna’s marriage came to an end when her husband passed away, and she was widowed while still in the prime of her life. Though Verna had 32 years with Dennie, she entered a new chapter of her life, soon hosting a ladies Bible study and serving in other ways, such as the much-revered annual Drive-Thru Nativity, coordinating meals for years before joining the Drive-Thru’s cocoa booth where she’d have an opportunity to minister to others in short yet succinct ways.

Verna lived a very adventurous life. Sometimes though, the adventure was in simple things, like how with her sister Shirley, they did small things like toll-painting, and how their families would just spend time together. Verna joined the Odell Garden club, where she made many life-long friends. While contributing her love of flowers, Verna also found another avenue with which to share her love of the Lord. Because of her faithfulness, her cheerful spirit, and her constant willingness to serve, Verna was nominated to become the chaplain of her garden club, with that role eventually escalating to becoming chaplain for the entire district which oversaw her local club. Verna will be most remembered for these two things: her legacy of faithfulness in serving others, and her legacy of virtue in her home, loving and laughing and living to her fullest while ensuring her family would have everything they needed before her. That is Verna Lynne Martin, a Proverbs 31 woman. She was selfless and caring. She was diligent and loyal. And most importantly to her, she was faithful and loving.

Now that Verna is with her Lord, she has also been reunited with her parents and other family who have gone before, and she has been reunited with the love of her life.

So, Verna Lynne (Hatch) Martin was preceded in death by her father Coval Alva Hatch and mother Maria Louise Hatch, and by her three brothers, Harold A. Hatch, Michael William Kroeger, and an infant boy who was raised in Heaven by God. And, Verna was preceded by her husband, Dennie Dell Martin in 1998 and never remarried. Verna is survived by her sister, Shirley Chrisman, her children, Tammy Lee Martin and Jason Daniel Martin, and her granddaughter, Jacquilynn Renee Jones, all of Hood River. Verna has numerous nieces and nephews, and a great many cousins and extended relatives through both of her parents.

A memorial service for Verna will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 29 at Hood River Church of the Nazarene, on the corner of 22nd Street and Belmont Avenue. This will be followed by a lunch reception. There will also be a graveside burial service for those who wish to attend at Mountain View Memorial Cemetery, the same day, at 3 p.m. There will also be a viewing prior to the memorial service from 5-7 p.m., on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at Andersons Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Ave., prior to the main services. Verna’s family wishes that any memorials donated in her honor are given to either of her favorite charities: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or K-LOVE radio.