Martha Gilbert

Martha May (Fisher) Gilbert, 96, of Sabetha died April 30, 2008 at the Apostolic Christian Home, where she had been a resident since May of 2007.

She was born on a farm south of Fairview on May 31, 1911 the daughter of Joseph T. Fisher and Hanna Wheeler Fisher. She moved to Sabetha with her family in 1915. She attended Sabetha schools and graduated Valedictorian of her class in May of 1929.

On November 23, 1960 she married John W. Gilbert at the First United Methodist Church in Sabetha; they were married 18 years before John died on November 26, 1978. She was a loving wife and step-mother to John's four children, Mary Frances, Rosalie Mae, Linda Sue and John David.

Martha was employed 29 years at the Farmers State Bank when she married John and left their employment to become a homemaker and to continue raising John's two children Linda Sue and John David. She later worked at the Sabetha Community Hospital until she retired in 1980.

Martha was a member of the First United Methodist Church and the Sapphire Chapter #348 of the Order of Eastern Star. She served the Sapphire Chapter #348 as Worthy Matron in 1956 and was awarded her fifty year pin in November of 1999.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her brother, Julian T. "Jack Fisher; his wife, Ruth and her two sisters, Mildred Fisher and Pauline Fisher.

Surviving include her daughters, Mary Frances Hundley of Sabetha, Rosalie Mae Geneske of Fort Collins, Colorado, Linda Sue Gudenkauf of Topeka; her son, John David Gilbert of Las Vegas, Nevada and 13 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and 25 great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 10:00 A.M. at the Popkess Mortuary Chapel in Sabetha. Family visitation will be Friday evening 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. at the Popkess Mortuary Chapel. The interment will be in the Sabetha Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Mary Cotton Public Library or a charity of the donor's choice sent in care of the funeral home.