Virginia Eleanor Martens

Virginia Eleanor Martens died October 29, 2019. Virginia was born on December 1, 1930 in Hastings, Michigan, and grew up in Lacey and Bellevue, Michigan. She attended Bellevue Community Schools and Cleary Business College. Virginia married Gordon E. Martens on August 26, 1950. They lived and raised their family in Bellevue. She worked as a homemaker and as a church secretary, first at Bellevue United Methodist Church, and then at Washington Heights United Methodist Church and Community Ministries, Battle Creek, Michigan. She lived in Bellevue for most of her life and was a longtime member of Bellevue United Methodist Church and the Bellevue United Methodist Women.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Gordon; her son, Rick Martens; and her sister, Marjorie Beckman. She is survived by her daughters, Jan Walsworth and Deb Martens; son-in-law, Jim Bennett, and daughter-in-law, Laurie Hagan-Martens; grandchildren, Hugh Milne (spouse Moira), Eric Walsworth (spouse Karla), Sarah Carpenter (spouse Bryan), Monica Martens, Elizabeth Bennett (spouse Rob Holveck), and Anna Bennett; great-grandchildren, Brianna Duncan (spouse Brian), Trevor Brown (spouse Natalie), Keilyn Carpenter, Ella Walsworth, Wesley Walsworth, and Forrest Bennett-Holveck; sister-in-law, Beverly Martens; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Virginia loved visits from her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed garage sales, sewing and knitting, reading, watching old movies, playing bingo, and eating ice cream. She was a loving and supportive mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend, and will be missed by many.

A memorial service in celebration of Virginia’s life will be held on Friday, November 29, 1:00 p.m., at Bellevue United Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Greater Lansing Food Bank, PO Box 16224, Lansing, MI 48901, or https://greaterlansingfoodbank.org/.