Martha Caroline Smith (née Bruhn), beloved wife of Raymond Smith (deceased 2002) and loving mother of Linda Platt (Lorette, MB), Ralph and Valerie Smith (both of Ottawa), passed away Tuesday, February 17 at the Yorkton District Nursing Home, Yorkton, SK. She was 93 years of age. Martha was born in Havre, Montana on November 23, 1921 to Frederick and Caroline Bruhn. She was predeceased by nine siblings: two boys in infancy, brothers, Emil (1960), Albert (1981), Archie (1991), Scotty (1991), Bill (1994), Ed (2006) and sister, Millie Helm (2009). The family changed locations (Montana and later Sudbury, ON) as Frederick and the older sons sought work opportunities, but Yorkton remained the home base, especially for Martha and Millie. Martha had many happy memories from her youth in Yorkton, including adventures from the "dirty thirties" like joining her older brothers to sneak through a fence to see the wonders of the Yorkton fair and collecting empty bottles from ditches to fund rare treats. She started school only when she was nine as it was a long walk from their country house to school in Yorkton but, once she began, she was a very keen student and formed many friendships that lasted her entire life. Ray and Martha met in the summer of 1940 in the "sweetest place on earth" - otherwise known as the honey packing plant in Yorkton. After a whirlwind romance, they were married on Valentine's Day, 1941 in Regina where Ray was training as a soldier. Martha, after daringly borrowing enough money for the train and bus fares, followed Ray to Ontario and later to Nova Scotia as he continued training before he joined the Canadian forces fighting in Europe. She then returned westward to Sudbury to rejoin her family and gave birth to her first daughter, Linda, in 1942. During the years of her husband's absence, Martha starting taking many family photos, especially of Linda, to send to Ray while he was overseas. That was a habit she continued almost all of her life, ensuring that family memories were preserved and shared. Soon after Ray returned from the war, the family settled into their own first home on Betts Avenue in Yorkton. They were joined almost immediately by twelve year old Millie, following her mother's death in the summer of 1945. The family further expanded in 1948 with the birth of son, Ralph and in 1955 with daughter, Valerie. Ray's job with the International Harvester Company meant that the family moved several times - to Kipling, Moosomin and Regina. Martha did not mind moving because she loved holding garage sales. Her enjoyment of activities such as bowling, cards, square dancing and playing pool made it easier for her to make and keep new friends in different locations. She was also an active member of the Royal Purple, the Legion and the United Church. While her life-long focus remained on her family, Martha also had a fiercely independent streak. She helped cover family expenses by taking in boarders for some years and enjoyed her part-time job in the Marshall Wells store in Moosomin as it provided the resources to buy the family's first dishwasher and more importantly, to travel. She introduced her daughter Valerie to the joys of train travel as they crossed the prairies and Rockies to visit Martha's then blind father in Vancouver. They also had a marathon bus trip in 1967 from Moosomin to Los Angeles to visit Martha's two brothers and their families in California. As the family finances improved, Ray and Martha ventured to Mexico, Hawaii and went on a Caribbean cruise and after Ray retired, bought a trailer in a park near Los Angeles to escape some of the Saskatchewan winter. Much of their travel still involved spending time with family - visiting Linda and John in (or near) Winnipeg, Ralph and their two adored grandchildren in Regina and later Ottawa, Valerie in Buffalo and Atlanta and Ottawa. Martha and Millie remained very close, so Martha and Ray moved back to Yorkton in the early 1980s. When they could, they visited her surviving brothers, Archie (and family) in Midland, ON, Scotty and Bill in California. Brother Ed who never really settled down lived with the family for some years and remained a frequent and welcome visitor. Martha courageously cared at home for Ray after his series of debilitating strokes until his death in 2002. She was then convinced by Millie to move into the Bentley and found a new lease on life in activities (especially "beating the men" at the pool table) and making new friends there. She remained at the Bentley until her total blindness obliged her to move to nursing care in 2012. Those who knew Martha well could count on her never lacking for a strong view on most topics - whether it was politics or who was likely to win a golf tournament or what was the best route to drive. But one of her greatest joys was to take people by surprise with slightly outrageous acts or views or interests. She would howl with laughter at the antics of Frankie Howard on "Up Pompeii" - she loved dressing up with Millie as "bag ladies" one Hallowe'en but then took it a step further by toting a big cigar and asking for a scotch "on the rocks". She admired the pranks of bad little Bart on the Simpsons until her vision became too poor to watch TV. Martha was a medical marvel - she dealt with many serious health issues throughout her life including colorectal cancer, heart disease, severe osteoporosis, deafness and finally blindness - and somehow managed to live longer than anyone else in family history. The family offers sincere thanks to the kind care given by staff of the Yorkton District Nursing Home, Weber House and especially recreation director, Ward Mackenzie. Special thanks to Jeanne Kurtz and George Kalenchuk who were also there for her in her times of greatest need and were faithful visitors. Thanks also to Brenda Hladun for her visits this past year, reading to Mom and making her life more bearable. Thanks also to Shirley Billay for helping the family care for Martha. Family left to mourn Martha's passing include daughters, Linda (John) Platt of Lorette, MB and Valerie Smith of Ottawa, ON; son, Ralph Smith (Nuala O'Kelly) of Ottawa, ON; grandson, Daniel Smith of Ottawa, ON, granddaughter, Anna Smith of Kingston, ON, niece, Brenda Helm and family in Saskatoon; sister-in-law, Cloyie Bruhn and many nephews and nieces and great-nephews and great-nieces in Midland, ON; sister-in-law, Kay Bruhn of Edmonton and nephew and nieces and their families in California. A family service and interment will be held in spring. Friends so wishing may forward their condolences to the family by visiting www.christiesfuneralhome.com. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Christie's Funeral Home & Crematorium, Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
