Martha Lorena Mitchell

Martha L. Mitchell, age 94, Clark, the widow of Art Mitchell, died peacefully in the Prairie Lakes Hospital at Watertown on Saturday night, May 23, 2015 after a brief illness. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2015 from 5-7 PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and will continue after 9:30AM Thursday at the Church in Clark. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, May 28, 205 at 11:00AM in the United Methodist Church at Clark with Pastor Mark Tracy officiating. The casketbearers will be Scott Davis, Joel Schnackenberg, Randy & James Morehouse, Dana Nordhus and James Mitchell, and Matthew Peckham. The honorary casketbearers will be, as in Martha's written words, "anyone who came to my funeral" and the staff and resident of the Fay Wookey Memorial Assisted Living Center. Burial will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark. She was born Martha Lorena Thies on June 20, 1920 at her parents' home in Clark, the daughter of William G. and Marie (Benter) Thies. She attended Bailey Lake School through the eighth grade. On May 7, 1939 she was united in marriage to Arthur Mitchell at the parsonage of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clark by Rev. Vold. They lived and farmed near Reed Lake north of Clark, where she took an active part in the farm work. The couple celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1989. Over the years Art and Martha enjoyed countless hours of square dancing, even sewing the clothes for them to wear. After retirement, they traveled to 49 of the 50 states and to Germany. Art passed away in 1995. Martha was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Clark and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clark. She has been a member at The United Methodist Church in Clark for many years and a member of the United Methodist Women. During her lifetime Martha was employed at various businesses in and around Clark including the Pantry Café, Doyens Café, The Bowling Alley, Kent's Bakery, M & M Truck Stop, The Redfield State School, Imperial Lounge, Gas Plus and Ken's Grocery. Most of those places Martha worked as a cook or a waitress. Many of you will remember Martha driving the school bus for Thorp School and being an active part of the Thorp All-School Reunion. In her free time Martha enjoyed quilting, playing cards, gardening, canning, fishing, playing both the steel guitar and electric guitars, hunting - even shooting through the roof of the car once! She will long be remembered for her love of letter writing. Martha also enjoyed cooking, baking - especially making doughnuts, and always enjoyed a piece of homemade pie. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband, brothers, Lloyd and Bill, a grandson, Daniel Mitchell and a great-grandson, Michael Schnackenberg. Survivors include her children, James (Anita) Mitchell of Virginia Beach, VA, Viola (Larry) Dunlavy of Clark, Beverly (Harvey) Schnackenberg of Watertown and Vernon (Susan) Mitchell of New London, IA, a sister, Dorothy (Jim) Linderer of Watertown, 7 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and 11 great-great grandchildren. Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com