Evelyn Jean (Rolfs) Martin was born to Dorothy Gertrude (Yarwood) Rolfs and Richard August Rolfs on July 25, 1927, in the farm home in Glenwood Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa. She was baptized at Decorah Lutheran Church and confirmed at Burr Oak Lutheran Church. She died on Feb. 8, 2016 at Haven Hospice in Gainesville, Fla.
She attended rural one-room elementary schools in Calmar and Burr Oak Townships and graduated from Decorah High School in 1946. After two years at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, she taught two years elementary school in Calmar. She earned her B.A. degree at Luther College in 1951, with majors in English and Elementary Education and a minor in History.
After teaching third grade in New Hampton, Iowa, she was hired to teach dependent children at an Army post near Dexheim, Germany, in 1953-54. She taught in a two-room school with grades four through six. In 1954-55 she shared teaching selected classes for seventh and eighth graders at the Mainz American School.
She married 1LT Jack Martin, Army Corps of Engineers in a civil ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Jan. 29, 1955, and a church ceremony in Dexheim on Feb. 19, 1955. After their time in Germany, the family lived in Massachusetts, Alabama, Virginia, Nebraska, Hawaii, Texas, and Florida while raising their sons John, Richard, David, Scott and Jeffrey. She was largely responsible for providing continuity and stability during the fifteen family moves in 20 years. Her first priority was putting up pictures and curtains – then it was “home” again.
After their years as a military family, the family moved to Gainesville, Fla., in 1975 where the children attended high school and the University of Florida while their father taught at UF’s School of Building Construction. Then in 2004 they moved into Oak Hammock, a local retirement community.
Over the years, she participated in her childrens’ activities in scouting, athletics and school. She taught Sunday School in Hawaii, Texas, and at First Lutheran Church in Gainesville. Major adult activities included church librarian, Bethel Series bible teacher, altar guild, and docent at the Florida State Museum of Natural History.
Besides sewing, her personal interests included calligraphy, painting, gardening and reading.
She is survived by her husband of 61 years and their sons and wives, John and Susan, Richard and Cathie, David and Mary, Scott and Caroline, Jeffrey and Maren. There are three grand-children, three step-grandchildren, and five step-great-grandchildren. Her sisters are Louise Rolfs ’52, and Margaret Jeche of Rochester, Minn.
A memorial service was held at First Lutheran Church, Gainesville, Feb. 20, 2016. Burial was in Fort Lauderdale. Expressions of sympathy may be made to First Lutheran Church, 1801 NW 5th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32603 for the Child Development Center. Arrangements were by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.