Obituary for Martha Decker Print Martha J. Decker, a longtime resident of Warsaw, passed away on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in Kingston at Dupont, Fort Wayne. She was 91 years old. Martha was born on April 1, 1927 in Bluffton.
One of five children, she was the daughter of Harvey and Ruby (Russell) Baumgartner. Martha spent much of her young life in Wells County, living near Uniondale on the family farm, and later in Defiance, Ohio. She was a 1945 graduate of Defiance High School.
On August 17, 1946, Martha was united in marriage to Dean Decker, an honorably discharged Army veteran who she met through visiting his family. As was common at the time, Martha and other girls in the community would visit with families who were affected by deployment of troops to World War II. Dean’s mother, Lorena, was quite impressed with Martha and was sure to introduce her to Dean on his return; in the interim the two corresponded by mail.
Their 65-year marriage brought many happy memories and together they lovingly raised five daughters. Martha was known for her love of family time and was sure to always bring plenty of food to family gatherings; to her, there was always room for more at the table. She was known for her cooking and baking prowess and especially loved for her pecan rolls, chocolate chip cookies, and Rhubarb custard pie.
She also canned and always had a large garden. A hard worker by nature, she and her husband were proud farmers and took pride in their ability to provide many of the foods their family ate while growing up. After retirement, Martha and Dean wintered in Palmetto, Florida, spending their time at Coach House Mobile Home Park where Martha enjoyed playing BINGO.
She was a longtime member of Clunette United Methodist Church and loved the fellowship of others. She was friendly, loving and positively kind. Dearly missed by many, survivors include five daughters: Judy Coplen of Fort Wayne, Barbara (Bruce) Smith of Leo, Cathy (Paul) Northcutt of Warsaw, Deanna (Jim) Swain of Cromwell and Linda Doran (Doug Westendorf) of Burket and four grandchildren: Zachary (Melissa) Smith of Grabill, Amanda Smith of Leo, Alex (Emery) Owens of Easton, PA and Brittany Northcutt of Munhall, PA.
She is also survived by four great-grandchildren: Jaida, Kerric, Korra and Jensen; a sister-in-law, Margaret Baumgartner and numerous nieces, nephews and their families. In addition to her husband, Dean who died on June 25, 2012, those who preceded her in passing include her parents; four siblings: Maurice Baumgartner, Lucille Fisher, Donald Baumgartner and Wayne Baumgartner and two sons-in-law, Stephen J. Nelson and C. Craig Doran. Friends may call at Titus Funeral Home, 2000 East Sheridan Street, Warsaw, on Sunday, February 10th from 2 to 5 p.m. On Monday, a funeral which celebrates Martha’s life will be held in the funeral home at 11 a.m. An additional hour of visitation will be held prior to the service which Pastor Mike Beazley will officiate.
Burial will be in Wooden Cemetery (Harrison Center). Memorial gifts may be directed to Clunette UMC, 4227 West 600 North, Leesburg, IN 46538, or to a charity of the donor’s choosing. Martha’s family wishes to thank the staff of Kingston at Dupont and the staff of Heartland Hospice Care for the tender, loving care which they provided.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
