Helen Inez Martin

Age 101 years

Born in Port Jervis, NY at the home of her grandparents, she was the daughter of Stanley DeGroat, Sr and Inez S (Pyle) DeGroat. On February 3, 1944 she married the late William Fred Martin of Sussex, the son of Fred L Martin, Jr and Almeda (Wilson) Martin.

A 1938 graduate of Sussex High School, she also attended New Jersey State Teachers College at Trenton. As an Air Force wife, she traveled all over the US and lived in Japan twice. She was the mother of 3 children, Janis Martin of Jefferson City, Mo, Gary Martin of Schertz, Tx, and Nancy Spray of Phoenix, Az.

Following Bill’s retirement from the Air Force, they moved to Phoenix where they lived the remainder of their years.

She died peacefully in her sleep, at her residence in Phoenix, Az on May 21,2023

Helen is pre-deceased by her husband, William Fred Martin; her parents, Stanley DeGroat, Sr. and Inez S. DeGroat (Pyle); her father and mother-in-law Fred L. Martin, Jr. and Almeda Martin (Wilson); her brothers, Stanley DeGroat, Jr. and wife Lois DeGroat (Price), Robert J. DeGroat and wife Gloria (Van Etten); her sister, Betty L. Hough (DeGroat); her sister-in-law, Catherine Klecha (Martin) and husband Joseph Klecha; her great-grandson Kameron Prescott; her nephews, Howie DeGroat, Gordon Shelton, Frank Kopec; and her niece, Virginia Shelton (Price).

Helen is survived by:

Brother-in-law: Fred Hough

Children: Janis Martin from Jefferson City, Missouri; Gary Martin and wife Pamela Martin (Foreman) from Schertz, Texas; Nancy Spray (Martin) and husband Randy Spray from Phoenix, Arizona.

Grandchildren: Aaron Spray; Jason Spray and wife Heather Spray (Davis); Gregory Martin and wife Terri O’Neill-Martin; Julie Martin; William J. Martin and wife Yalitza Martin (Heredia); Michael Martin and fiancée Stephanie Dela Garza; Pamela Michelle Prescott (Martin) and husband Shane Prescott.

Great-Grandchildren: Andrew Spray and wife Jess Spray (Stockman); Savanah Spray and Carlos Valdez; Brianna Martin; Destiny Martin; Aidan Martin and wife Bailey Martin (Brewer); Sean Martin; Liliana Heredia; Eli Harowitz; Cassidy Martin.

Great-Great Grandchildren: Jayden Spray; Athena Spray.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Faith Hospice at https://faithofaz.com/donate/ or to Fellowship Square at https://www.fellowshipsquare.org/ways-to-give/make-a-donation/ .