Edith Marguerite Cline Martin was born in Evansville, Indiana, on August 23, 1906. She is the daughter of James Marion and Frances Minerva (Metzker) Cline. They brought her to Kansas and she grew up in Coldwater. She attended school there and graduated from the Axtell Christian Hospital Newton, Kansas, with a degree as a Registered Nurse. She worked at her profession until she met and married Lester Francis Martin. She spent her married life maintaining a home and raising their child.After the death of her husband she returned to nursing. She moved to Coldwater Kansas, where he is buried, and was employed at the Comanche County Hospital, Coldwater, Kansas, until moving to Liberal, Kansas in August of 1970. She maintained her home in Coldwater and returned there after retiring in 1972 from working as Head Nurse at the Nursing Home in Liberal.
Her main interests besides her work consisted of raising some flowers and her work in the Business and Professional Women's Club. She was a member of the Christian Church in Coldwater and for two years a member of the First Christian Church in Liberal. She transferred to Coldwater Church upon her return. She took active part in the church work and tried to always do her share.
Edith returned to nursing after the death of her husband. She worked twenty years before retirement at Coldwater hospital and at the nursing home in Liberal. She enjoyed nursing and helping others. She enjoyed her patients and tried to help them recover even after they returned home in some instances. She enjoyed the nursing home work and often went back evenings to visit with ones whose families didn't come so often. She attended the monthly birthday parties for the patients and tried to make sure no one was forgotten.
The Florence Nightingale Pledge I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.
Edith took this pledge to heart in her occupation and was a committed and caring professional.
Avis, Kenny and Marty Sizemore with Edith Martin.
Photo from Comanche County History, Vol. 1.
Edith Marguerite (Cline) Martin was born in Evansville, Indiana, August 23, 1906. When she was a very young child she moved with her parents, James Marion and Frances Minerva Cline, to Coldwater, Kansas, where she grew up and attended school. Edith graduated from Axtell Christian Hospital, Newton, Kansas, as a Registered Nurse. After graduation she worked at hospitals in Newton, Larned and Arkansas City, Kansas. She married Lester Francis (Frank) Martin on January 3, in Yates Center, Kansas.Lester Francis Martin was the son of W.E. and Della Avis Martin. He was born January 2, 1908 on a farm 4 miles east and 2 1/2 miles south of Kildare, Oklahoma in Kay County. Frank graduated from high school at Newkirk, Oklahoma in 1926. Before attending college he worked for the Marlin Oil Company. Frank attended the University of Oklahoma for four years graduating in 1932 with a degree in business. He returned to Ponca City, Oklahoma, to the former Marlin Oil Co., then renamed Continental Oil Company in the marketing department. He was later transferred to the production department. While working in Ponca City he met and married Edith Cline. The company transferred Frank and Edith to Valley Center, Kansas in 1937.
Their only child, Avis Ann was born in Wichita, Kansas, on August 29, 1937. In 1945 they were tansferred back to Ponca City and in 1951 to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Frank, Edith and Avis Ann spent every summer vacation in Coldwater visiting relatives, and friends.
Frank was accidentally killed October 25, 1953, and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Coldwater, Kansas. He worked twenty-one years for Continental Oil Company and was in the Oklahoma Section of Production Department of Central Region at Oklahoma City at the time of his death.
Edith moved back to Coldwater and returned to her nursing career, going to work at the Comanche County Hospital in January 1954. She worked as a nurse 20 years at the Comanche County Hospital and a Liberal, Kansas nursing home. She was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church and enjoyed church work. She also enjoyed flowers, her BPW work and most of all her family, friends and helping patients.
Edith died in Trinity Hospital, Dodge City, Kansas, on August 27, 1973. She was buried next to Frank in Crown Hill Cemetery.
The stories of their child, Avis Ann (myself) and families will appear elsewhere and add more.
By Kenneth and Avis Ann Sizemore, Comanche County History, Vol. 1, p. 522.
The Western Star, November 6, 1953
Accident Victim Buried at Coldwater.
Funeral services for Lester Frank Martin, 45, were held at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning, October 27, at the Sherman Funeral Home in Oklahoma City. Burial was at 5:00 o'clock that afternoon in Crown Hill cemetery, Coldwater, Kans.
Mr. Martin was fatally wounded when his 16 gauge shotgun accidentally was discharged while he was taking it from his car after returning from a hunting trip.
Frank had been an employee of the Continental Oil Co. for 22 years and had lived in Oklahoma City the past two years.
Mr. Martin, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Martin of Kildare, Okla., was born in Kildare January 2, 1908, and passed away October 25, 1953, in Oklahoma City, Okla., at the age of 46 years, 9 months and 23 days.
On January 3, 1937, in Yates Center, Kans., he was united in marriage with Miss Edith Cline, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Cline of Coldwater, Kan. To this union was born one daughter, Avis Ann.
Mr. Martin was a member of the Newkirk Methodist church and was a graduate of the Newkirk, Okla., high school and the University of Oklahoma.
The survivors are his wife and daughter, Avis Ann, 16, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Martin of Kilgore, Okla., one sister, Mrs. L. D. Huddleston of Norman, Okla., three brothers, Gerald of Ponca City, Okla., Don of Fort Worth, Texas, and Earl of Oklahoma City. The sorrrowing relatives have the sympathy of all.
Edith Martin holding her grandson, Marty Sizemore, August, 1954.
Photo courtesy of Martin Sizemore
Graduating Class at Axtell Christian Hospital School of Nursing, Newton, Kansas,
where Edith Cline graduated January 28, 1928.
Photo courtesy of Martin Sizemore
View Larger Image
More information about Axtell Christian Hospital School of Nursing is available through the Wichita State University Libraries - Dept. of Special Collections, Papers of the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for Kansas, MS 71-1, Box 19, FF 3, Title/County: Special Topics, Description/Author: Kansas Schools of Nursing, Topic: Kansas Nursing.
Edythe Marguerite Cline's nursing diploma
Axtell Christian Hospital School of Nursing, Newton, Kansas.
She graduated January 28, 1928.
Image courtesy of Martin Sizemore
"While her name is Edith Marguerite Cline by birth, she went by Edythe during the period of her nursing training. It was common in her family to have a nickname, but we suspect she thought Edythe as a spelling was more interesting than Edith." -- Martin Sizemore.
Edythe Cline's Certificate of Nurse's Registration
Image courtesy of Martin Sizemore
Three Registered Nurses at the Comanche County Hospital, Coldwater, Kansas, 1954.
L-R: Mrs. Edith (Cline) Martin holding Beverly Ann Hackney, Mrs. Clyde (Thelma) Blackard
and Mrs. Frank (Palvena) Barnhart holding Patricia Jean Snyder.
Photo courtesy of Martin Sizemore
Left to right are Mrs. Edith (Cline) Martin, a graduate of the Christian Axtell Hospital, Newton, Kansas; Mrs. Clyde (Thelma) Blackard, hospital superintendent, a graduate of Wesley Hospital, Wichita; and Mrs. Frank (Palvena) Barnhart of Protection, a graduate of the City Hospital, Denison, Texas. Mrs. Barnhart is holding Patricia Jean Snyder, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Snyder Jr. of Wilmore and Mrs. Martin is holding Beverly Ann Hackney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hackney of Wilmore. The 18 employees of the hospital include Miss Pearl Gerhart who, starting March 1, 1954, is the full-time receptionist and bookkeeper.
TURN ABOUT - Even the nurses were on the receiving end of the needle during moss inoculation ceremonies Monday in Protection. Here, Dr. Lyle G. Glenn gives Mrs. Edith Martin her final shot in the three-shot Salk series. The nurse, trying to be as brave as possible, failed to convince the little boy in the background that the whole thing was painless. (Photo by Jerry Clark, Beacon chief photographer).
-- Blow Dealt Polio By 311 Sore Arms: Protection Protected, The Protection Beacon, December 3, 195_.
J.M. and Minerva Cline family, circa 1920.
Back: Frances, Allen, Hueston, Hueston's wife Jess, Edith.
Middle: Leta's husband Edson Thompson, Leta Thompson (holding Marguerite), James Marion "Jim" Cline, Minerva Cline, Kenneth.
Front: LeeRoy, Raymond, Jessie, Junior (J.R.).
Photo courtesy of Rhonda (Cline) Nickel.
J.M. and Minerva Cline family photo on their 50th wedding anniversary, June 25, 1950.
Back: Jessie, Leta, Allen, Raymond, Kenneth, Heuston, Frances, Junior (J.R.).
Front: LeeRoy, Minerva (Metzker) Cline, James Marion "Jim" Cline, Edith.
Photo courtesy of Rhonda (Cline) Nickel.
Edith Cline, photo probably taken in Evansville, Indiana
Photo courtesy of Rhonda (Cline) Nickel.
Back: Hueston and Leta Cline. Front: Kenneth, Allen and Edith Cline, Comanche County, Kansas.
Allen was the first child of J.M. and Minerva Cline to be born in Kansas.
Photo & comment courtesy of Rhonda (Cline) Nickel.
Three kids with pups, probably Kenneth, Leta and Edith Cline.
Photo courtesy of Rhonda (Cline) Nickel.
Birth Order Listing of the Children of
James Marion & Minerva Frances (Metzker) Cline1. Hueston Cline
2. Owen Cline (died as an infant)
3. Leta Hazel (Cline) Thompson
4. James Kenneth Cline
5. Edith Marguerite (Cline) Martin
6. Allen Leighton Cline
7. Frances Georgia (Cline) Burkhall
8. Frederick Lee Roy Cline
9. Raymond Everett Cline
10. James Russell Cline
11. Jessie (Cline) Robertson
Also see:
James Marion & Minerva Frances (Metzker) Cline
"Mrs. J.M. Cline Has Made Many Hundreds of Beautiful Quilts", news clipping, 31 Dec 1964.
Photographs from the Collection of J.M. & Minerva Cline, printed from the original glass plate negatives by Russell Fay Cline.
Russell Fay Cline, son of J.R. & Gloria (Wilson) Cline, grandson of J.M. & Minerva (Metzker) Cline.
Rhonda (Cline) Nickel, daughter of J.R. & Gloria (Wilson) Cline, grand-daughter of J.M. & Minerva (Metzker) Cline.
Frank Leighton and Lucy William (Allen) Metzker, parents of Minerva Frances (Metzker) Cline, grandparents of Edith (Cline) Martin.
Lula Agnes (Metzker) Gregg, sister of Minerva (Metzker) Cline, maternal aunt of the children of J.M. & Minerva (Metzker) Cline.
S.Sgt. Ira Leighton Metzker, USAAF, first cousin of the children of J.M. & Minerva (Metzker) Cline.
Iris (Brasher) Metzker, aunt of the children of J.M. & Minerva (Metzker) Cline.
Dorothy Virginia Gregg, first cousin of the children of J.M. & Minerva (Metzker) Cline.
Thanks to Martin Sizemore and Rhonda (Cline) Nickel for the above photographs and information and to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the obituary for Lester F. Martin to this web site!
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