Frances A. “Fran” Martin Obituary (1909 - 1989)

Born Feb 03, 1909, Frances A. “Fran” Martin attended Charlevoix High School in Charlevoix, MI. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Frances A. “fran” Martin.

Graduation Year	Class of 1927
Date of Birth	Feb 03, 1909
Date of Passing	Jan 26, 1989
About	Frances A. "Fran" Martin, 79, of Charlevoix, longtime reporter and columnist for the Petoskey News-Review and the Charlevoix Courier, died Jan. 26, 1989, at Grandvue Medical Care Facility, East Jordan. Funeral will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Charlevoix. The Rev. James K. Gardiner will officiate and burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Charlevoix. Fran Martin was born Feb. 3, 1909, in Charlevoix, the daughter of John and Clarabelle (Ruckle) Martin. She grew up in Charlevoix and attended Charlevoix public schools, graduating from high school in 1927. She then attended St. Mary School of Nursing in Grand Rapids and became a registered nurse in 1930. She was a practicing nurse at Charlevoix Hospital until injuries from an automibile accident in 1933 left her confined to a wheelchair. In the mid-1930s, she began her career as a regular correspondent and reporter for the Petoskey Evening News and the Charlevoix Courier. During her newspaper career she reported on sporting events, civic, school and community meetings for the city and county of Charlevoix and also wrote a weekly columns under the heading "Et Cetera." She received many awards, including the Liberty Bell Award offered by the Charlevoix-Emmet Bar association in 1976 and a plaque from the Michigan-Huron Shores Conference in 1985 for her coverage of sporting events. The same year, the Charlevoix High school yearbook was dedicated to her. Survivors include four brothers, James, Patrick and Phil, all of Charlevoix, and Frank of Newport, R.I.; four sisters, Mrs. Rex (Irene) Supernaw, Mrs. Ben (Phyllis) Gill, Mrs. Lloyd (Sara)Cummings, all of Charlevoix, and Mrs. Watson (Winifred) Gregory of Petoskey; and a half sister, Margaret Swensen of Charlevoix. The family suggests memorials to the Charlevoix Area Hospital, Charlevoix High School track team or St. Mary's Catholic Church, all of Charlevoix. Visitation at the Winchester Funeral Home, Charlevoix, will be 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. today (Friday). A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.