Florida Martin

FLORIDA RUDD MARTIN was born on May 19, 1918 in Enfield, North Carolina to Senora and Rangle Luther Rudd. She was the tenth of eleven children, all of whom preceded her in death. Florida peacefully departed this life on December 11, 2013 while residing at Keswick Multi-Care Center in Baltimore, Maryland. While still a young maiden, she left her home in North Carolina to join her sister in Baltimore. She met, fell in love, and then married her devoted husband, William L. Martin. From their union two children were born, Delores and William Anthony Martin. After many years of a happy marriage, William preceded her in death. Her beloved son, Anthony soon followed his father in death. Florida received her formal education in the Enfield, N.C. School system. However, education is a life-long endeavor. She chose to be a stay-home Mom until her youngest child was old enough to attend grade school. Florida then went to work for a family and cared for them as if they were her own. The young child of the family, Anne, kept in touch over the years and often visited her for the entire time she resided at Keswick. Florida eventually retired from the Baltimore City Public School System as a teacher's assistant and had many rewarding experiences working with both students and teachers in her department head's science laboratory. Florida was a Christian who accepted Christ as a young person. She later adopted Central Baptist Church as her spiritual home. As a devoted member of her church she served faithfully for many years as the President of the Pastor's Aid Ministry. It was during those times that many of the church family were introduced to Florida's love of cooking and feeding those she loved. To this day, many of both her family and church family reminisce about the wonderful times they spent in fellowship at her home oer a well-prepared meal. Warmth and kindness was what you could expect at Florida's home. The remarkable relationships Florida developed with her children's friends and their parents were well known and truly cherished. The accounts by the young people about how she fed them her delicious fried chicken, shared storied of life's journeys and offered the wisdom of her judicious counsel, can still spark enthusiastic conversation among the now-grown adults. Florida as still remembered and appreciated by those who were blessed to know her and share in her life. Left to cherish Florida's memory are: her daughter, Delores Martin Ford; two grandchildren, Lori P.F. Hines (Darryl) and William Anthony Martin Jr.; two great-grandchildren, Grant Darryl Hines and Chloe McKenzie Hines; along with a host of other relatives and friends. Florida, affectionately known as “NANA will be dearly missed but will remain in the hearts and minds of those who loved her and those whose lives she so wonderfully touched.

Tributes

Florida Martin

May 19, 1918 - December 11, 2013