Martha Jean Hawkins Gartner - 2011
MHS 1949 Graduate
Martha Jean Hawkins Gartner, class of 1949, was nominated by Carolyn Nape. In her nomination, Nape said, "Martha is a gracious, generous, humble woman who is dedicated to her God, husband, children, friends and community of Minerva. She is constantly bringing joy, love, friendship and food to her many friends in the surrounding communities where she and Carl live and serve. Just like the Martha in the Bible, she is always busy working and preparing wonderful food to help brighten up someone's day. She is a person who has never forgotten where she was born and grew up. Yet Martha is very capable of communicating with the First Lady of the United States, congressmen, people of many various prestigious positions and her hometown friends in rural Ohio."
In high school she served as editor of the Diary and the Crescent. She was active in many organizations including Y Teens, Girls Athletic Association, and National Honor Society and was an attendant to the May Queen. After graduation she attended Dyke College in Cleveland where she received an associate degree in Business. In 1953 she married Carl Gartner and moved from New Franklin to Minerva.
Gartner's community service includes St. Paul's Lutheran Church, the American Red Cross (Minerva Chapter), the Minerva Historical Society, Blossom Music Women's Committee, Malone College, St. Luke Lutheran Community, Salvation Army and a Rotary Exchange Host family.
Her church work is never-ending and includes being director of vacation Bible school for many years, a Sunday School teacher, assisting with the monthly food distribution, and she has held any number of offices in the Woman's Club. She volunteered as a Gray Lady for the Red Cross at Minerva Grade School, spent many hours distributing funds and goods to local citizens in time of need, led the annual fund-raising door-to-door campaign, and encouraged volunteers to give to the community Blood Bank.
Gartner is a charter member of the Minerva Area Historical Society. What started on the top floor of the City Hall has progressed to the Haas Museum. Gartner has been an integral part of the growth of the museum serving in most offices, and presently is the secretary and a trustee. In 1995 she was selected for the Community Service Award, presented by the Minerva Service Clubs and Chamber of Commerce.
She is the chairperson for the St. Luke Lutheran Community Minerva Steering Committee. She is involved with a new building being constructed on Woodale Avenue in Minerva. This will be a thirty-unit assisted living facility that should open for residence later this year.
She values education. In the 1980s she was involved with the Malone annual fund drives. Also she and Carl have been active with Carl's Alma Mater, Mount Union University.
In 2009 they were honored by having the Gartner Welcome Center named in their honor for their many years of service to Mount Union.
The Gartners have four children who have all graduated from Minerva High School: Beth, Molly, Keith, and Seth.