Martha Geraldine Mead

Martha Mead of Pine City passed away at her home on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at the age of 74. Martha Geraldine (Stringham) Mead was born July 4th 1940 in Idaho Springs, Colorado. She was the third of six children born to William Nelson Stringham Jr. and Geraldine Ada (Norman) Stringham. She attended school through the 10th grade and the family moved to California. She did not complete high school, but later while raising her own family, she and her friend Penny Foster went to night classes and completed their GED’s together. In November 1959 she married Paul Edwin Mead and they lived together in Glendale California where their three older children; John, Jerrie, and Julie were born. In 1964 the family moved to White Bear Lake Minnesota where Brenda was born. They lived there until 1969 and then moved to a farm in Pine City where their youngest child, Paula was born and remained there to raise their family. Martha worked many jobs as a homemaker, at 3M in microfilm production, as a journalist for the Pine City Pioneer, owner of Pine City ceramic shop, and as a volunteer teacher at Faith Baptist Academy in Hinckley. She also helped home school eight of her grandchildren. Martha was generous and kind, and everyone who speaks of her remembers her patience and non-judgemental personality. She was very creative, an example to all, and a teacher. She passed on her love of arts and crafts to her family. She always had time for a cup of coffee, a game of cribbage, and a good conversation. She will be greatly missed and forever loved. Martha is survived by her children: John (Dawn) Mead of Pine City, Jerrie Mead of Somerset, WI, Julie (Nils) Andersson of Pine City, Brenda (Scott) Balts of Pine City, Paula Koehn of White Bear Lake; 22 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; sister Terri (Jim) Janssen of Pine City; brothers-in-law: Richard (Mary) Mead of Mahtomedi, Tom (Laura) Mead of Somerset, WI, Dennis (Joan) Mead of Forest Lake, her dog Snickers, many nieces, nephews, relatives & close friends. She is preceded in death by her parents William & Geraldine (Norman) Stringham, her husband Paul Mead, brothers: William Stringham III and Phil Stringham, sisters: Wilma Antrobus and Barbara Bitton. Pastor Tim Stratton will officiate funeral services at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at the Grace Baptist Church in Pine City. A time of visitation and reviewal will be held on Monday evening from 6 – 8:00 p.m. at the Swanson Funeral Chapel of Pine City and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Union Cemetery – Hustletown in Chengwatana Township. Funeral arrangements are with the Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City, Swanson Chapel. www.funeralandcremationservice.com