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 Therese Martha Martin, nee Darga, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, the 15th of February, just short of her 88th birthday.  Her last days and weeks were spent with her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  Tess was born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 23, 1926, to Martha and Joseph Darga, the youngest of their four children.

She attended St. Mary’s of Redford and in 1946, she married Robert C Martin, who preceded her in death.  They bought their home in Royal Oak, just before the birth of their first son in 1947.  Tess lived there the rest of her days. Tess’s life was full of family and friends.  She was close with many cousins – Bob’s cousins Ruth Elaine Sherman (Al) (and her daughter Joanie Dickson), Fred (Jean) Pagel and Stuart Pagel; and, more recently, her own cousins Betty Wendlowski and Joan Nardi.  She was deeply close with brothers and sisters: Barbara Buchanan (Glenn), Millie Warner (Bob), Tony Darga (Viola) and Ray (Lillian, and Geraldine). These extended family members were part of annual summer vacations, camping, playing cards and fishing, Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners, square dancing and evenings playing cards and toasting with whiskey sours.  Tess also remained close with her nieces and nephews:  the Buchanans, Sharon Graves and Shirley Dean (Paul), with whom she traveled to Tahiti and Mexico, and whom she visited in Napa Valley; and the Warners, Diane Kurgan, Sue Shuman (Ken), Peggy Fiani (Jules), Gary Warner (Barb), Colette Trevarthen (Tom) and Carl Warner (Debby).  Their monthly birthday lunches brought her great joy and loving connection.  Until very near to the end of her life, Tess volunteered at Shrine of the Little Flower, working funeral luncheons and the widows’ group; she bowled in a league, and she played pinochle with a church group and Tripoli with cousins.  She will be missed by her closest friends Geri Voigt, Ronnie Williams, Linda Quade, and Carol Ann Kasa.  Tess’s life was active and joyful – with beloved family, good friends, her house, travel to Europe and Hawaii and Alaska, annual summer trips to Stratford and Ludington, winter trips to Chicago, pinochle, Tripoli and bowling.  Tess will most of all be greatly missed by her six children and their spouses:  James Martin (Anne) of West Lafayette, Indiana; Robert Martin (Annette Siffin) of Manchester, Michigan; Thomas Martin, MD (Judi Josiah-Martin) of Holden, Maine; Bruce Martin, MD (Cathy) of Grand Haven, Michigan; Maureen Martin (Mike Penskar) of Gregory, Michigan; and Julie Ann Martin, of Royal Oak.  Her twenty grandchildren, step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren will also miss her – Seth Martin (Amber); Aaron Martin; Leah Martin; Zachary Martin; Nicole Martin; Lauren Martin; Bradley Martin; Laraine Martin; David Martin; Sophie, Noah and Ben Gerhard; Janel Luna; John (Becky) Luna; Dakota, Dawson, Levi and Lennox Martin, and Cara Luna. Tess’s was a long life well lived.  She brought ease, laughter and grace to our lives and those of everyone she met.  A funeral Mass was planned for 10:00 am, Saturday, February 22, 2014, at the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, with a luncheon immediately following at the Shrine Conference Center on Woodward.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, 1820 Mt Elliott, Detroit 48207.  Godspeed, Tess.

 

Please sign Tess' online guestbook and leave a message or memory for her family.