Martha Belle Wigfield

Martha Belle Wigfield, 89, of Somerdale, died Tuesday, Mar. 23, 2010, in Hennis Care Centre, Bolivar, surrounded by all of her loving children and grandchildren.

Born Sept. 13, 1920, in Aetna, Tennessee, she was the eldest daughter of the late Claude E. and Lou Ella Whiteside Bates. Martha moved at a young age with her family to New Philadelphia where she graduated high school in 1938. On her birthday in 1939, she married Willard Wigfield. Martha was a homemaker a loving, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. She loved the Lord and read her Bible daily.

Martha was a faithful member of New Cumberland United Methodist Church for over fifty years, and taught Sunday school and Bible school there. She was also a member of the AARP and served as editor of her local chapter's newsletter.

Martha was a person who never met a stranger. Her winning smile, the jokes she told and the songs she would sing were a blessing to all who knew her. She enjoyed reading and playing Bingo and Canasta. Martha also liked to crochet, and all of her family have Christmas stockings as well as other articles that she made.

Survivors include two daughters, Louella (John) Dunn of Somerdale, and Vera Miller of Mineral City; three sons, Bill (Marge) Wigfield and Joe (Steph) Wigfield, both of Magnolia, and Jerry (Sally) Wigfield of Sherrodsville; eighteen grandchildren; twenty-nine great-grandchildren; seventeen great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Vera Bausch of Ballwin, Missouri; two brothers, John (Betty) Bates of Skegness, England, Marvin (Mary Jane) Bates of High Ridge, Missouri; many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Willard, in 1987; grandson, Taylor F. "Jakie" Miller, Jr.; a great-grandson, Michael Lee Fox; two brothers, Claude Elmer Bates and Don Allen Bates; son-in-law, Taylor F. "Jake" Miller, Sr.; two brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Herb and Ann Wigfield and Bob and Betty Wigfield; brother-in-law, Jim Bausch .

Family and friends may call at the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory, 246 E. High Ave., New Philadelphia, on Thursday, Mar. 25, 5 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held Friday, Mar. 26, at 1:30 p.m., in the New Cumberland United Methodist Church with Pastor Ted Knapp officiating. A private committal service will be held later in New Cumberland Cemetery. There will be a luncheon immediately following the service in the Warren Township Community Center (the former New Cumberland elementary school). To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Martha, please visit the Toland-Herzig Web site and click on Obituaries.

The family suggests that contributions in Martha's memory be made to the New Cumberland United Methodist Church, 4058 New Cumberland Rd. N.E., Mineral City, OH 44656.

Toland-Herzig, New Philadelphia
330-343-6132
www.tolandherzig.com