Martha Jane Pease

Monday, April 27, 2015 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Waters Funeral Chapel in Vandalia.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center in Vandalia.
Officiating: Mr. David Land.
Music:
Interment: Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Pallbearers:

Martha Jane (Alder) Pease age 84, unexpectedly went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday April 23, 2015 at the Audrain County Hospital.

Martha was born January 7, 1931 in San Marcos Texas, the daughter of Roy Carl and Violet Genevieve (Schroff) Alder. At the age of 3, her father passed away and her mother later married a Vandalia resident Forest Watts.

Martha loved music, drama, and small town life. She graduated Valedictorian of her class of 1948 and then worked as dental assistant to Dr. William Howell where she met her future husband. On September 24, 1950 she married a local farmer, George M. Pease, and they soon had two children, Judy and Dennis, who enjoyed many adventures on their farm and claypile.

In 1966, the family moved to town into the former Charles G. Daniel house. The spacious 13-room house immediately became a center for their growing family to develop many diverse individual interests. The house included a lovely entrance hall for reading and teaching piano lessons by Judy and several unfinished rooms upstairs for Martha to put her always growing collection of vintage clothes, ladies' hats, costumes, and stage props. Dennis created a "lab" from one room to host scientific experiments, while George claimed the century-old pony barn and a large shed for his collection of tools and farming paraphernalia. Their home soon became a well known and used gathering point for friends of Judy and Dennis, community gospel sings, anniversary celebrations, and Martha's extravagantly unique Halloween Shows.

When their children entered college, Martha became the first activity director of the new Tri-county Nursing Home. Later Martha was employed for 26 years as a librarian at the Vandalia Branch Library. She was very active in church and community events in both Vandalia and Farber. During the 1974 centennial year, she directed the "Kickoff Fashion Show," assisted with programs and shows, helped organize the women's groups, provided costumes galore, and shared her home in the Centennial Home Tour. Martha created a vintage hat show, "A Century of Hats", which spanned 25 years and was performed 115 times throughout the state of Missouri. During the above period she survived two bouts of Stage 3+ Lymphoma, was a charter member of the Vandalia Historical Society, and developed many new close personal friendships.

Mrs. Pease was preceded in death by her husband, George and her parents. Martha is survived by one son: Dennis C. and wife, Colleen E.. Pease of Columbia; one daughter, Judy K. and husband, George O. Clossin of Knob Noster, Missouri; one sister, Lily Mae Korpal of Lawton, Oklahoma; one aunt, Dorothy Smith of Vandalia; three grandchildren: Elizabeth Pease and fiance, Ryan Garcia of Vandalia; Steven Pease of Mountain View, Calif; Timothy and wife, Alyssa Clossin of Springfield; three great-grandchildren: Jonah Clossin, Khloe Clossin and Katlynne Strickland. She is also survived by several nieces, nephews, cousins, "adopted" family members, Jordan Myers and John Fife, as well as many, many, lifelong friends.

Born: January 7, 1931 in San Marcos, Texas the daughter of

Married: George Marion Pease in Vandalia on September 24, 1950; he preceded her in death on December 14, 2011.

Survivors include: one son: Dennis C. and wife, Colleen E. Pease of Columbia; one daughter: Judy K. and husband, George O. Clossin of Knob Noster, Missouri; one sister, Lily Mae Korpal of Lawton, Oklahoma; one aunt, Dorothy Smith of Vandalia; three grandchildren: Elizabeth Pease and fiancé, Ryan Garcia of Vandalia; Steven Pease of Mountain View, Calif; Timothy and wife, Allyssa Clossin of Springfield; three great-grandchildren: Jonah Clossin, Khloe Clossin and Katlynne Strickland; also survived by several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Preceded in death by: parents; husband, George.

Memorials are encouraged to the Vandalia Area Historical Society.