Dora Mae Martin

Dora Mae, better known as Doty, was born September 12, 1933, in Celina, OH, to the late Clyde and Viola M. Gillian Wurster. She was the second of four children and graduated from Celina High School in 1951. She attended Cleveland Bible College until a serious illness forced her to return home and discontinue her higher education. During her lengthy recovery, the doctor suggested moving to a new location might be helpful in her recuperation, so she went to spend some time with her older sister, Virginia, in Indianapolis. Not long after arriving in Indianapolis, the course of her life was changed by a simple evening at a roller skating rink when a young man named Paul tied her skates. She went home and told her sister she had just met the man she was going to marry. After only a couple of weeks, he proposed and three months later on May 22, 1953, she married the love of her life, Paul E. Martin. This happy marriage lasted almost sixty-two years. Due to her illness, the doctors informed her that she would never bear children. One evening, as Rev. A.D. Urshan laid hands on her and prayed, everything changed. God took control of the situation, which resulted in four healthy children being born: Natalie Sue, Matthew Paul, Joanna Lynn, and Suzanne Marie. Together they raised four happy children with firm but loving hands. Their home was filled with lots of love and many wonderful memories. Natalie remembers being sent to the drug store with a dollar bill to buy twenty candy bars and the feasting that followed. Matthew will always remember the special lunch dates with her at Red Lobster before leaving for Bible College. Joanna fondly remembers the wild wheelchair ride to the gift shop for a much-needed shopping spree at the hospital while awaiting Gregory's arrival. Suzie recalls the life changing moment at Christmas time when Doty told her she would give birth to a child by the following Christmas. Like her mom, she had been told she would never bear children, but Annika Suzanne was born December 14th of the following year. Doty was a spitfire. You never wondered what she was thinking because she told you. She was a unique combination of strong, sassy, loving, giving, and serving. She had a gift of cooking and serving and was just ornery enough to still make it to heaven (in our opinion). Countless lives were touched by her wisdom as she stood at a stove or behind a steam table. She never held ministerial credentials but the influence of her ministry reaches around the world. Countless Calvary Christian School and Indiana Bible College students along with children and young people on the Indiana District Campground were influenced by her willingness to do the Lord's work. Only eternity will reveal the impact of her labor. She was a longtime and faithful member of the Calvary Tabernacle Church. She enjoyed her grandchildren, vacationing in Florida, doing puzzles, computer seek and find games, and perusing social media sites. We are not quite sure that she ever totally understood the difference between posting a message and a private message. We experienced a few awkward moments to say the least. On Saturday, April 25, 2015, Doty went to be with the Lord at the age of 81. This loving wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, and friend will be terribly missed by all who knew her. Doty was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde and Viola Wurster, and her two sisters, Virginia Pearson and Dottie Hanna. She is survived by her loving husband of almost 62 years, Paul E. Martin; four devoted children, Natalie S. Gwaltney and husband Timothy of Indianapolis; Rev. Matthew P. Martin and wife Kala of Morris; Joanna L. Godwin of Indianapolis; and Suzanne M. Joki and husband Rev. Gregg Joki of Dewar; Eight grandchildren, Abigail L. Kendrick and husband Keith, Allison N. Barber and husband Rev. Christopher Barber, Adrianne S. Adams and husband Blake, Meghan L. Brown and husband Kyle, Matthew P. Martin II and wife Amanda, Gregory P. Godwin, Joanna Brooke Pritt and husband Rev. Nathanael Pritt, and Annika S. Joki; Two adorable great-grandchildren, Silas C. Barber, Riley B. Martin, and soon to arrive, August C. Brown; her brother, Clyde L. Wurster, and brother-in-law Dale Hanna, as well as a host of friends and a loving church family. Visitation will be Monday, April 27,2015, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Shirley Brothers Thompson Road Chapel, 3333 E. Thompson Road and Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until time of services at 11:00 a.m. at Calvary Tabernacle, 902 Fletcher Ave. In memory of Doty, contributions may be made to the Calvary Christian School.