Obituary of Kathleen Mary Martin

Kathleen Mary Crosby Martin died peacefully on June 26 at Little Hospice in Edina. She was 91. A devoted mother and grandmother, she said her family was her most important life accomplishment.

Kathleen was born on October 31, 1932 near Hazelwood, Minn., in Rice County, to Francis L. and Josephine M. (Schweich) Crosby. She was the third of four children, and as the only girl, was always called “Sis” by her brothers and parents.

Kathleen grew up in Northfield. Her dad, who was a barber, died after a long illness when she was 10, and her mother taught country school and later worked as the Rice County Clerk of Court to support the family. Kathy graduated from Northfield High School in 1950 and attended the Minnesota School of Business in Minneapolis, graduating in 1951. After business school, she worked at the American Institute of Banking as an events planner. During that time, Kathy lived at Mabeth Paige Hall, a downtown Minneapolis residence for single professional women, where she made lifelong friends.

Kathy met her husband, James H. Martin, a law student from Deer River, through a Mabeth Paige friend. Jim told Kathy’s friend he wanted to meet a nice Irish Catholic girl — preferably a brown-eyed brunette who played bridge! On their first date, Jim and Kathy went swimming at the university pool, where Jim was a lifeguard. The kids later teased him that he wanted to show off his lifeguard’s physique to the pretty, dark-haired Irish lass.

Jim and Kathy were married on August 9, 1952, in Faribault. After their marriage, they lived briefly in Dawson, where Kathy worked as an accountant at the Dawson Bank. Because there was no Catholic church in Dawson at the time, the young couple drove to surrounding communities on Sundays to attend Mass. During one of those excursions, they visited Morris, where they spoke with the local priest, Fr. Fearon, who encouraged Jim to open a law practice in Morris. In 1952, Jim and Kathy moved to Morris, where Jim practiced law for 49 years. After a short stint working as a secretary at Otter Tail Power Company, Kathy became a busy mom, homemaker and community volunteer. After her children were grown, she worked as a bookkeeper for the Martin, Nelson and Glasrud law firm.

Kathy and Jim were married for 64 years and raised six children in Morris. Kathy was active at Assumption Catholic Church, serving on the women’s guild and other church committees, and as secretary of St. Mary’s School Board. She was a Cub Scout den mother, and helped organize many Blue and Gold scouting banquets. She also helped found the Morris AAU Swim Team, the Tiger Sharks, which is still going. Kathy had a keen sense of humor and a distinctive laugh. She enjoyed reading novels, playing tennis and golf, and talking on the phone. She was a talented cook and baker, an engaging conversationalist, and an excellent bridge player, playing until she was 90. Throughout her life, Kathy enjoyed close friendships.

When their children were growing up, Kathy and Jim spent summers at their lake cabin at Lake Amelia, near Villard, swimming, fishing, boating, and playing tennis with the kids. After their retirement, they spent winters at New Smyrna Beach, Florida. They traveled extensively around the U.S., and visited Europe several times, the British Isles, the Caribbean, and Israel.

In 2001, Jim and Kathy moved to Edina. After Jim’s death in 2017, Kathy moved to The Glenn, a senior independent living community in Hopkins, where she lived until shortly before her death.

Kathleen is survived by six children: Elizabeth (James S.) Morrison, Morris; John (Margaret O’Toole-Martin), Rochester; James F. (Kathy), Cottage Grove; Thomas (Julia Held), Westhampton, MA; Mary (William) Fehrenbach, Hudson, WI; and Ruth (William) Plante, Edina;

Eleven grandchildren: James E. Morrison, Fergus Falls; Allison Martin, Rochester; Sean (Morgan) Martin, Minneapolis; Kelly Martin, Los Angeles, CA; Annie (Jake Walsh) Martin, Minneapolis; Ellen Martin, Minneapolis; Caleb Martin, Clearfield, UT; Tye Martin, Warren, VT; Sam (Kara Nesvig) Fehrenbach, St. Paul; James (Mia) Fehrenbach, Alexandria, VA; and Andrew (Kate) Fehrenbach, Minneapolis;

Five great grandchildren: Alex, Nate, and Emma Fehrenbach; Paige Martin; and Julian Fehrenbach;

Two brothers: James Crosby, Swansea, IL; and Eugene (Maebelle) Crosby, Faribault; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her brother John Crosby; two sisters-in-law, Vivian Crosby and Barbara Crosby; and her husband’s siblings and their spouses: Robert and Margie Martin; John and Claire Martin; Mary and George Hickner; and Patricia Laliberte.

Funeral services for Kathleen Martin will be held on Thursday, August 1 at 11 a.m. at The Church of St. Patrick-Edina in the Little Chapel, 6820 St. Patrick’s Lane, Edina, with luncheon to follow. Visitation is for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at St. John’s Abbey Cemetery in Collegeville.

Memorials to N.C. Little Memorial Hospice, 7019 Lynmar Lane, Edina MN. 55435.