Dorothy Maertins

Graveside services for Mrs. Dorothy Marie Young Maertins, 109, of Sulphur Springs, Texas, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, March 29, 2026, at Center Hill Cemetery, under the direction of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Linden.

Dorothy was born February  4, 1917 in Clarinda, Iowa and passed away on March 24, 2026 at the age of 109.

She was raised on a farm in Iowa and was a member of the Mennonite Church accepting Jesus at a young age.  Her home life was chores on the farm and riding her horse, Darling, to school several miles each day.  After high school she attended college for two years in Kansas, received her teaching certificate and taught school in a one room schoolhouse.  During World War II she became the first woman welder for Beechcraft Aircraft and at that time pursued flight training but didn’t get the opportunity to solo.

She moved to San Francisco and met Robert Maertins whom she married during the war.  She had 3 children :  Jim, Gloria and Beverly and also during this time she took care of 6 foster children.  She later moved to Dallas from San Francisco and started working at Texas Instruments, a new semi-conductor business in town.  Much later in life she undertook a new profession and became an LVN, a Licensed Vocational Nurse.

Dorothy has had a very adventurous life.  She has viewed Hawaii from a helicopter, snorkeled in the Caymans, swam with the stingrays, rode seadoos on the lake, and had lots of motorcycle and 4-wheeler rides with grandchildren.   Most of these activities were in the Grandma years in her 70’s and 80’s. She also lived in the country for many years and had animals of every size and variety.  She loved dressing up in animal prints, wearing her pearls and playing endless games of Rummicube and GoFish with her grandchildren.

She has taught many Bible studies, lead women’s groups, supported and interceded for many missions overseas.   When people would ask why she had lived so long, she would always tell them it was her relationship with Jesus.  Her last 9 years were spent in the Carriage House of Sulphur Springs and as a family we are deeply indebted to them for the excellent care she received there.

Her life has been an incredible blessing to her entire family. She is survived by:  3 children, James Maertins, Gloria Lawrence and Beverly Gooch; 6 grandchildren: Bryan Maertins, Brent Maertins, Tiffany Baugus, David Bacon, Marty Gottfried and Holly Baskin; plus 14 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gospel for India, in care of Abraham Varghese, 11307 Wimberly Dr., Richmond, Virginia 23238.