- Date Of Birth: August 29, 1917
- Date Of Death: October 16, 2009
- State: Illinois
Martha Irene Schell passed away Friday, October 16, 2009, to eternal peace.
She was born August 29, 1917, as one of the identical twin daughters of Emery and Gertrude Waid in Winchester, IL. Martha is survived by her daughter, Barbara L. Stark (husband Geoffrey Clark) of Tempe, AZ; her twin sister, Mary (Waid) McKinley and brother-in-law Ray McKinley of Jacksonville; nephew Gary Hoyt of Graham, WA; cousin Louise Waid of Winchester; step-daughter Nancy (Schell) Scott (husband Ralph) in NC; step-grandchildren Robert Stark (wife Eve); Richard Stark (wife Diane); Ronald Stark (wife Shera); Randy Stark (wife Clara); Sherry (Stark) Gross (husband Patrick); Deborah (Stark) Williams; and numerous nieces, nephews, step-great grandchildren and cousins. She was predeceased by her step-son William Stark and her daughter-in-law Dorothy Stark.
Martha was baptized in the First Baptist Church of Winchester November 25, 1928. She graduated from Winchester Community High School on May 29, 1935. In 1941 she received her B.S. degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign, with special training in teaching deaf students. Her M.A. degree at Mac Murray College was awarded August 1, 1948. She married James Harold Stark in Indiana on August 14, 1942, and he predeceased her in January 1970.
In 1971 Martha married Marion C. Schell in Springfield, Missouri, who predeceased her in September 1996. Martha taught for over twenty years at the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville where she enjoyed her students and served as class advisor for many of them. Previous to her career teaching deaf students she worked as a bookkeeper in Winchester. Earlier in her life Martha enjoyed bowling, cooking, traveling with her family, and a loving family life. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church choir. She will always remain in the hearts of family and friends.
