Shirley (Decker) Martz, 66

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Shirley (Decker) Martz, age 66

Plymouth, formerly of Cold Spring

June 21, 1945 – December 4, 2011

Shirley passed away on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at her home surrounded by her loving family after a year-long courageous battle with cancer.  A memorial service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 10, 2011 at the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring, MN.

There will be a gathering of relatives and friends from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at the Wenner Funeral Home prior to the memorial service.

Shirley was born in Watkins, MN to Wilfred and Marcella (Garding) Decker.  Her parents later moved to Cold Spring where she graduated from St. Boniface High School and went on to attend the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN.  She married David Martz on September 30, 1969 in San Diego, CA.  They later built their house in Cold Spring where she was employed with Cold Spring Granite Company until moving to Oklahoma.  There she worked in the insurance field while helping create and operate the Heart to Heart Ministries with her husband until his tragic death in 1992 in an auto accident.

In 1997 she moved her family back to Minnesota where she pursued a career with Prudential and Hartford Insurance Companies until her retirement in 2010.  Her hobbies included gardening, crocheting, jigsaw puzzles, playing cards, reading a good book, and having a great conversation over a bottomless cup of coffee.

Survivors include her son, Jesse (Tammy) Martz of New Hope; daughter, Rachel Martz of Plymouth; brothers and sisters, Alvin (Beth) Decker of Cold Spring, Judy (Melvin) Grossinger of Richmond, Jane (Jim) Hunter of South St. Paul, Bonnie (Mark) Johannes of Cold Spring, Dorothy (t Delton) Becker of Florence, MT, Corrine Decker of Cold Spring, Brenda (Don) Willson of Port McNeill, BC, Allen Decker of Waite Park, Debbie (Ken) Plantenberg of Paynesville; sisters-in-law Eileen (t Willy Jr) Decker of Richmond, Linda (t Mike) Martz of Brooklyn Center; brother-in-law, Lester (Karen) Martz of Streetman, TX; mother-in-law, Mary (Hugh) Lear of Owasso, OK and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, David; parents, Willy and Sally Decker; brothers, Melvin, Willy Jr Decker; brothers-in-law, Del Becker and Mike Martz; father-in-law, Marvin Martz.