Barbara Jane Martin

Barbara Jane (Mader) Martin, age 93 passed away at her home in Bellevue, Nebraska March 5, 2019.

She was born in Cheyanne, Wyoming on January 16, 1926 to Hazel Kimball and Jesse Moore. Shortly thereafter she was adopted by Albert and Alma Mader. One year later, Alma passed away due to complications from childbirth as did the newborn infant. Albert was with the Union Pacific Railroad and was always on the road, so Barbara moved to Council Bluffs Iowa at the age of two, living with Alma’s sister and family. Barbara remained in Council Bluffs and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1943. That is where she met her future husband and best friend, Russ Martin.

Russ was off to war in 1944 and served two years in the Army overseas. All the while, Barb was writing letters to keep the fires burning. It must have worked, as the first thing Russ did after the war was to marry Barbara on June 2. 1946. The two embarked on a 42-year journey moving to Colorado, California, Arizona, Washington State, Nebraska, Indiana, and Minnesota. In 1987 Russ passed away at the age of 62 and Barbara returned home to Council Bluffs. Barbara loved to paint, do flower arrangements, sew, make jewelry, ceramics, bowl, teach adults to read, golf, and eat chocolates. As a mother of two children, Russ II and Jaci, she made sure she was there even when she wasn’t….clean clothes were in the drawers, food in the kitchen, and always the cleanest house on the block…always making her family proud.

At the age of 89 she was given the gift of finding her biological families. The Moores – Ken, Robert, Kay, and Karen. The Kimballs – Eugene, Leslie, and Neoma. What a gift to have seven brothers and sisters after 89 years.

Barbara is survived by her two children, Russ Martin II and Jaci Miller, four grandchildren, Jenny Woodbury and her husband Tim, Rusty Martin and his partner Guy, Kristin Saxena and husband Shikhar, Steven Schlautman and wife Adrienne. She leaves behind seven great grandchildren Timothy Woodbury, Sonu, Shaan, Sai, and Lia Saxena, and Caitlin and Derek Schlautman.

On March 5th she went to meet up with Russ….she loved us all dearly but it was time to be with her best friend. She was known to many as Jane, Barb, Barbara Jane, BJ, Mom, Gramma, G-Ma, GG-Ma, Grand Master B, Jimmi-Jimmi, and Skippi. Barbara truly has left her mark on this world and in our hearts.