A memorial service was held at 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 19, at Wasilla Christian Church, Mile 2.3 Knik-Goose Bay Road in Wasilla, with Pastors Brad Norris and Chris Savino officiating. Interment of ashes will be in North Dakota at a later date.
Martha Cummins was born March 19, 1916, at Williamsville, Ill., to Samuel and Mary Cummins. She grew up and attended rural schools in Sangamon County, Ill.
On March 7, 1935, she married Silas J. Huffman in Westside Christian Church, in Springfield, Ill. They moved to Grand Rapids, N.D., that same month and farmed there until 1941 when they purchased a farm near Cogswell, N.D. They lived and farmed there until 1969, when they moved to Huron, S.D., and were cooks at Dakota Bible College.
In 1974 they moved to Aberdeen, S.D., and in 1976 they moved to Kansas, Okla. They worked at Cookson Hills Christian School for 24 years. They continued living there until August 1999. At that time they came to Palmer and made their home with their youngest daughter, Bonnie, and family.
Her family said: "Martha loved to cook and bake, and loved to share her baked goods with neighbors, friends and family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She had a great sense of humor and a quick wit."
She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Silas of Palmer; son and daughter-in-law, Edward and Linda of Oakes, N.D.; daughters and sons-in-law, Harriet and Leroy Kadoun of Forman, N.D., Nancy and Bill Lance of Eagle River, and Bonnie and Larry Knouse of Palmer; 15 grandchildren; 11 great- grandchildren; twin sister, Margaret Oglesby of Cornland, Ill.; and sister, Irene Lowery of Grundy Center, Iowa.
Her parents and two brothers preceded her in death.
Source: Frontiersman, 22 December 2000
