Nancy Martens

The regular meeting of the obituary readings was called to order by the Martens family. The purpose of the meeting was to read the obituary of Nancy Darlene (Baker) Martens, aka Nance, the Bud and the secretary. She attended her last meeting on Feb. 19, 2025. Having double pneumonia on top of congestive heart failure proved too much to edit from the minutes of her life. Her first meeting was called to order on Nov. 21, 1934. Among those present were her mother and father, Charles and Eloise (Hawkins) Baker of Midland, MD.

Old business: She lived her life in two lands and a burg, born in Woodland, raised in Midland and resided in Frostburg. She spent much of her youth at her Grandma Baker's house which was down the street from where Nancy lived. Her Uncle Bud, who had dropped out of school as a teenager to help his mom raise the family, still lived there as well. Grandma Baker and Uncle Bud took a shine to Nancy, being the only girl with three older brothers and two younger brothers. They saw to it that she attended church regularly and took her shopping with them when they went to Frostburg or the big city Cumberland. They also took her to visit her aunts. In fact, it was her Aunt Elesta who discouraged her from "licking the ketchup bottle after using it," as it was not proper manners.

As a young girl, she had a small roll-top desk where she would write on folded sheets of paper and sew them together to make books. I imagine this is where her life-long passion for the English language began. This passion was nurtured by her favorite teacher, Grace (Finzel) Bittner, who taught English at Beall High School. Such was the bond that was formed between the academic section of the graduating class of 1952 and their beloved English teacher, that they met each year on December 26th, beginning in 1952, for a mini class reunion, at the home of Grace (Finzel) Bittner. Nancy kept a scrapbook of these reunions through 1962.

After graduating in 1952, Nancy went to the State Teachers College in Frostburg. By agreeing to teach two years in MD after college, she was able to attend tuition free. Her miner grandfather, Charles Baker, had donated 25 cents to help purchase the original land for Frostburg Normal School, which later became the college Nancy attended. She was very proud of that heritage.

New business: After teaching Reading for three years at Beall High, she became a stay-at-home mom and raised five kids, collectively and affectionately known as the "brats." Nancy was a helper and believed a person should always show love and concern for family and friends. This led to her volunteering her services as a semi-professional secretary. She was the secretary of the church choir as a teenager, her 9th through 12th grade high school classes, the high school alumni association, the East End Playground Association and the Felker, Knepp and Tressler family reunion. If it was important enough to be written down, she always had pen and paper at the ready.

You can take the teacher out of the school but not the school out of the teacher. After raising five kids, Nancy went back to teaching as a substitute and a tutor. She helped many a struggling student either make it through to graduation or achieve their GED equivalent. She also taught an adult Sunday School class at First English Baptist Church for many, many years. Nancy loved to teach.

She was a dedicated poll worker at election time and volunteered at the Frostburg Nursing Home working in the gift shop. She would also read magazine articles and short stories to those residents of the nursing home who could no longer read for themselves.

Nancy was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Martens, her parents, Charles and Eloise (Hawkins) Baker, brothers Bill, Donald, Jim and Vic Baker and her daughter and son-in-law Janet (Martens) Stevens and husband Jay Stevens and their son, Alex Stevens.

She is survived by one brother, Steve Baker and wife, Adelina, Prescott, AZ, her remaining "brats," Jim Martens and wife, Carolin, Uniontown, OH; Julie (Martens) Forney and husband, John, Millersburg, PA; Jerry Martens and wife, Bonnie, Springfield, OH; Joanna (Martens) Schroyer and partner Gilbert Nicol Jr., Grantsville, MD; along with 7 grandchildren: Jonathan, Tristan, Samantha, Joshua, Clay, Levi and Ben and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 28th, at 12 noon at First English Baptist Church located at 136 East Main Street, Frostburg, MD. There will be a reception at the church following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First English Baptist Church, 136 East Main St., Frostburg, MD 21532.

Since there was no further business, the Martens family made a motion to adjourn this meeting of the obituary reading of Nancy Darlene (Baker) Martens. You will be sorely missed, indeed.

Respectfully submitted,

Jerry Martens, Brat # 4