Born ‎10 Dec 1903 Hutchinson, Mcleod County, Minnesota, died ‎18 Jun 1995 Osakis, Douglas County, Minnesota‎, age 91 years, buried Alexandria, Douglas County, Minnesota
Bertha T. Martin was born December 10, 1904 in Brainerd, Minnesota, the daughter of John and Clara (Krahl) Hoerner. Her family moved to Litchfield and then to Hutchinson where Bertha graduated from high school. She then attended Mankato State Teachers College earning a degree in education. She was employed as a teacher in Strandquist, Westhope, North Dakota and while teaching at Sedan, met Lyle Martin.

On August 4, 1931 Bertha and J. Lyle Martin were married at Hutchinson and later moved to Osakis where they owned and operated Martin's Grocery for ten years and where they had a son and daughter. They then moved to Alexandria and after ten years opened Martin Business Service which they operated for many years.

Bertha had many interests including politics, playing cards and bingo and was an avid professional basketball fan. She was an active member of St. Mary's Church in Alexandria.

Bertha and J. Lyle sold their home in Alexandria in 1982 and resided in St. Cloud for about 10 years. They returned to their original hometown of Osakis so they could receive assisted living and nursing home care. Her husband died in February 1995 and Bertha passed away four months later on June 18, 1995 at the age of 90. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two brothers, John and Ed Hoerner, a sister Eleanor Hajicek.
She is survived by her children: William Martin of Aurora, CO; Patricia (Mrs. Virgil) Tollifson of Minneapolis; four grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Bertha will be remembered by friends and family for her friendliness generosity, thoughtfulness and devotion to husband Lyle, children and grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated June 21, 1995 at St. Mary's Catholic Church of Alexandria with rev. Peter Kirchner officiating. Entombment was in the St. Mary's Mausoleum with Tom Tollifson, Larry Smith, Jeffrey Martin, Sheila Tracy, Shelley Simpson, Delmore Gustafson and Ernest Johansen serving as pallbearers. Arrangements with Anderson Funeral Home.

(Echo Press, 28 June 1995)

Born ‎15 Dec 1908 Sedan, Pope County, Minnesota, died ‎13 Feb 1995 Alexandria, Douglas County, Minnesota‎, age 86 years
Lyle was a great Martin/Rooney genealogist.

In 1984 he and Bert went to the Gatineau Valley and as far north as Maniwaki, Quebec. At Venosta and Farrelton, Quebec, the visited with Lima Plunkett and Jack and Hilda Sullivan and their daughter-in-law Judy. At Brockville, Ontario they visited with Rita, Frank, Woodrow Tucker and his wife Catherine.

In 1981 they went to Ireland - Shanagolden, County Limerick, specifically, where they saw the record of the birth of Lyle's grandfather, William J. Martin.


Former Alexandria/Osakis businessman, J. Lyle Martin, 86, died at the Community Memorial Home in Osakis, Minnesota, February 13, 1995. Lyle owned and operated Martin Business Service in Alexandria for 21 years, from 1954 to 1975. During this period he served as President of the Lake Region Board of Realtors. Prior to 1954 he was employed as an agent for the Internal Revenue Service in Alexandria for 10 years and before that owned and operated Martin's Grocery in Osakis for 10 years.

Lyle was also very active in St. Mary's Catholic Church having served as Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus and President of the Catholic Men's Club. He was one of the family's foremost genealogists and in pursuit of facts and documents concerning family history, traveled to Ireland, Canada, Salt Lake City and many other parts of the country. In 1982, after selling their Alexandria home, Lyle and his wife, Bertha, moved to St. Cloud where they lived for about 10 years. Age and illness led them back to their original home town of Osakis so that they could receive assisted living and nursing home care.

Lyle was born in sedan to William and Grace (Wamsley) Martin on December 15, 1908. As a young man in his early twenties, he met a Sedan teacher, Bertha Hoerner. They were married in Hutchinson on August 4, 1931 and had two children. Lyle will be remembered by family and friends for his sense of humor, writing ability, honesty and kindness.

He is survived by his wife Bertha; brother, Richard Martin of Plano, TX; his daughter Patricia and son-in-law, Virgil Tollifson of Minneapolis; his son, William and daughter-in-law, Valerie Martin of Denver, CO; four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his mother and father, two brothers, Melvin and Robert; and two infant sisters, Dorothy and Mildred.

Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Mary's Catholic Church of Alexandria with Rev. Peter Kirchner officiating. Entombment was in the St. Mary's Mausoleum with Thomas Tollifson, Jeffrey Martin, Sheila Tracy, Shelley Simpson, Don Butler and James Martin serving as pallbearers. Arrangements with Anderson Funeral Home, Alexandria.

(Echo Press, 22 Feb. 1995)