Ethel Martin

Ethel Pearl Martin, 89, of Danville, passed away peacefully Sunday (February 12, 2017) at home. Ethel was born July 26, 1927, in Hawbuck, IL to William and Ella (Mack) Reffett. She married Byron Gene Martin in July of 1956. Survivors include daughter Luanne (Kelly) Freed of Danville and son Randy Martin of Perrysville, IN. Grandchildren Shawn (Stephanie) Taylor, Amy Taylor, Cainen (Janet) Freed, and Brynn Freed. Great-grandchildren Lane Taylor, Taylor Pitmon, and Madison Taylor. Children from a previous marriage include Terry Andrews, Mike Andrews and their children; Rhonda Deichmiller (Richard) Baldwin and their daughter Ratchel Baldwin. Ethel has one surviving sister, Imogene Deichmiller, of West Virginia. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sisters Wilma Herambourg and Marguerite McCrone, brothers James Reffett and William Reffett Jr., daughter Linda Mason, and granddaughter Cara Freed. Ethel attended Willow Springs Grade school in Hawbuck and Westville High School. She was an excellent student and loved school. Her first jobs as a young girl were at Plaster's Drug Store and Barker's shoe store; later she was trained as a seamstress for Windbreaker Jacket Factory in Danville. This job led her to become a seamstress for Ray O'Herron Co. and the Danville Police Dept. She was an avid bowler and won many trophies and awards. She enjoyed the simple pleasures of life; she often reminisced about running to the bottom of the hill in Hawbuck to meet her father on Fridays, where he would give his six children a package of Wrigley's gum to share. Throughout her life, she always carried Wrigley's gum in her purse and was known to all children as "Grandma with the gum." Funeral services: 11:00 a.m., Monday February 20, 2017 at Sunset Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until service time. Private burial services will be at Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Crosspoint Domestic Violence and Transition Shelter Program 201 N. Hazel St. Danville, IL 61832. Please join Ethel's family in sharing memories, pictures and video on her tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com

Visitation Feb 20, 2017 Monday, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center 3940 N. Vermilion Street Danville, IL 61834 Visitation Feb 20, 2017 Monday, 11:00 AM Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center 3940 N. Vermilion Street Danville, IL 61834 Final Resting Place Sunset Memorial Park 3901 N. Vermilion Street Danville, IL 61834