Martha Gmeiner-Hines, 93, formerly of Long Prairie died Saturday, September 17 at the Long Prairie Memorial Nursing Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Martha on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 1:00 p.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church in Browerville. The visitation will be on Wednesday, September 21 from 11:00 - 1:00 p.m. at the Iten Funeral Home in Browerville. Interment will be at St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Long Prairie.
Martha was born October 5, 1917 in Danbury, WI to Charles & Elizabeth (Bartosh) Cadotte. She attended school in Danbury and shortly after finishing school, Martha took a house cleaning job for the mayor of Spooner, WI. As a young woman, Martha moved to Gutches Grove to live with her sister and brother-in-law. Martha worked as a nanny and also as a musician; playing in her sister's band "Hiawatha's Merry Makers" and that is where she met her future husband Lawrence Gmeiner. They were married on June 22, 1940 in Detroit, MI. They moved back to the Long Prairie area to farm with Lawrence's family and Martha stayed at home to raise their three children.
Martha loved music and dancing, she & Lawrence belonged to a square dancing club, she enjoyed hunting, ice fishing and snowmobiling. She was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church.
Martha is survived by her children; Carol (Jerry) VanNorman of Long Prairie, Butch (Leslie Hamilton) Gmeiner of Everson, WA and Sheri (Chuck) Gritz of Browerville, 11 grandchildren , 19 great Grandchildren & 11 great great grandchildren, siblings, Ivan Cadotte, Stella Abbott, Bernie Tourtillotte and Eva Connor.
Martha is preceded in death by her parents and siblings, Bernice (Bun) Springer, Dolly Stubbs, Helen Bebault, John Cadotte, Margaret Cadotte and Jesse Lunsman.