Helen J. Martin

Helen Jean Martin, age 86, formerly of Monmouth, Illinois; passed away at The Forum at the Crossing Nursing Home in Indianapolis, IN on November 3, 2008. Jean was born on August 16, 1922 in Monmouth, Illinois and was the daughter of Leonard J. and Jennie Mae (Thieme) Killey. She was raised in Monmouth, where she attended local schools and graduated from Monmouth High School. She attended Monmouth College and then Cornell College where she received a B.A. degree, as an English major. After college, Jean completed nurses training at the University of Minnesota, and became one of the first nursing students in the university's Nurse Cadet Corp Program. Jean married John Landrum Martin III on April 18, 1947 in Richland, Washington. He preceded her in her death on December 23, 1989. Jean met John as she served as an industrial nurse at the General Electric Co. (Hanford Nuclear Plant) in Richland, Washington. From Washington they moved to California for a number of years and moved to Monmouth, Illinois in the early 1960s. While in Monmouth, Jean served as Director of Nurses at the Colonial Nursing Home operated by Gwen Barden. In 1970, Jean and John moved to California, followed by a move to Florida some years later, where she also worked in Geriatric Nursing . Jean and John retired in 1987 to Monmouth, Illinois. After John's passing in 1989, Jean moved to Indianapolis to be close to her daughter. Jean was an accomplished pianist and organist. She presented her own piano recital at the close of her sophomore year in college and used her talents to provide music in many Southern Baptist Churches, where she attended. Jean is survived by her daughters Janice Harrell, in Indianapolis, Indiana and Joy Arrowsmith (Fred) of Kingston, Massachusetts and one son, John L. Martin of Vancouver, Washington. She leaves six grandchildren and six great grandchildren and one sister, Marcello McDowell of Columbia, South Carolina. Preceding Jean in death, were her parents, husband, and a brother, Victor Killey. Services:A funeral service for Helen Jean Martin is planned on Monday, November 17, 2008 at Turnbull Funeral Home in Monmouth, Illinois at 10:00 am. Internment will be in the Monmouth Cemetery in Monmouth, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a favorite charity in Jean's name.