Helen “JoAnne” Martin, 87, died in the early hours of Friday, April 18, peacefully surrounded by love and memories of a life well lived.
Visitation will be held at Stiehl-Dawson Funeral Home in Witt, on Saturday, April 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. followed by burial at Saint Barbara Cemetery in Witt.
Mrs. Martin was born Sept. 18, in 1937 in Peoria to Jack and Katie Bolding. She graduated from Witt High School in 1955 and soon began a dedicated career with the Illinois Secretary of State, retiring after 20 years.
On Nov. 30, 1957, she married the love of her life, Joseph James Martin, at the Methodist Church in Witt. Together they raised two daughters, Jackie (Andy) Hubbard of Ottawa and Jodi Whitlow of Pawnee.
Alongside raising a family, the couple opened Joe and JoAnne’s Bar and the Key Largo Club in Witt, which they ran from 1967 to 1991. Their establishment became a beloved community hub—whether one was fresh off a softball game, stopping in after work, or just in the mood for a story and a laugh, one was always welcomed like family.
Mrs. Martin was the life of the party and the soul of every gathering. She never met a stranger and made everyone feel like an old friend. Her zest for life, humor and wisdom created a lasting impact on all who knew her. She and Mr. Martin were known for lighting up the dance floor—especially when it came to the jitterbug. Whether at a local event or behind the bar after hours, their love of dancing was just another way they shared joy with everyone around them. Mrs. Martin never passed up a good trip to Nashville. Those getaways were filled with laughter, music and memories. She leaves behind a legacy of strong women. Mrs. Martin’s memory will live on with every girl’s trip to Nashville, still taken in her honor and each time someone turns up the music and dances like no one’s watching.
In addition to her daughters, Mrs. Martin is survived by her granddaughters, Jina (Mike) Boerman of Plainfield, Jaclynn (Brock) Phillips of Springfield, Alyssa Whitlow of Springfield and Bailee (Eric) Radle of Ocean Springs, MS; great-grandchildren, Luke, Anna, Jenevieve and Baron; sisters Judy Smith and Della Mae McGee; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Joseph Martin; parents, Jack and Katie Bolding; and half-sisters Freda Bolding and Maxine Anderson.
In honor of Mrs. Martin, memorials can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Witt Veterans Memorial Fund.
