Mary Ella “Ellie” Martin, 97, of Wabash, Indiana, died at 7:25 pm, surrounded by her family, on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Park Place Senior Living in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She was born on June 9, 1929, in Huntington, Indiana, to Albert and Evangeline (Wall) Teusch.
Ellie was a 1947 graduate of St. Vincent High School in Akron, Ohio. On March 26, 1951, she married Robert C. “Bob” Martin at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Wabash, where they first met in the fourth grade, and were married for 73 years until his passing on November 21, 2024. Ellie was a devoted homemaker and also worked for several years at Sears in Wabash. She enjoyed making crafts and was an excellent cook, with her banana bread and coffee cake being among her specialties. Ellie was a caring and compassionate person who was always willing to listen and genuinely cared about others. She made a special effort to stay connected with her grandchildren and treasured the time she spent keeping in touch with them. She found peace and enjoyment working outdoors and took great pride in caring for her home.
She is survived by four sons, Robert Andrew “Andy” (DeAnn) Martin of Georgetown, Indiana, Mike (Karen) Martin of Saint Charles, Missouri, Matt (Jena) Martin of Minnetonka, Minnesota, and Tim (Mari) Martin of Fort Wayne; six grandchildren, Kathryn (Tony Patullo) Martin, Zoe (Chris) Morris, Dori (Markelle) Moore, Amelia (Zach Venturella) Martin, Ruby Martin, and Lia Martin, and eight great grandchildren. Along with her husband and parents, Ellie was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Kelsey Martin, four brothers, and two sisters.
Funeral mass will be 10:00 a.m., Thursday, October 1, 2026 at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 188 West Sinclair Street, Wabash, with Father Jay Horning officiating. Burial will be in Falls Cemetery, Wabash. Friends may call 4:00-6:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Avenue, Wabash, with a Rosary service at 6 p.m., to follow.
Preferred memorial is the Kelsey Lynn Martin Memorial Scholarship Fund #00638 at the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana, 4108 Charlestown Road, New Albany, IN 47150, cfsouthernindiana.com.
The memorial guest book for Ellie may be signed at www.grandstaff-hentgen.com.
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