Martha Ellen England

Martha Ellen England, age 86, died at 4:35 p.m. on Saturday, February 28, 2015, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes, IN. Born near Paragould, Arkansas, on November 17, 1928, she was the youngest of six children of Fred and Hattie Settlemoir Ward. When Martha was one year old, her mother contracted pneumonia and died. Martha and her siblings were taken in and raised by their oldest sister, Mabel, who was 21 years old when Martha was born. Martha graduated from high school in 1947 and began working as a nursing assistant in hospitals shortly after that time. She wanted to become a nurse then; however, the financial means did not exist to pursue her desires. After raising her two sons, Martha herself returned to college in the mid-1970’s. She was tenacious in striving to achieve her lifelong dream to become a Registered Nurse. Graduating from Paducah (KY) Community College in 1978 at the age of 49, she was the oldest graduate in her class. She passed the licensure exam and became a Registered Nurse and worked as an R.N. in the Illinois Prison System for many years. She was also the office nurse for Grover Sloan, M.D., in Carrier Mills, IL, for several years. In her retirement years, Martha conducted insurance physicals for two different insurance companies. Martha married Carl L. England, Jr., in Paragould, Arkansas on April 27, 1947. Carl preceded her in death on June 30, 2009. She was also preceded in death by five siblings and one grandchild. She is survived by two sons, Fred and his wife Kathy of Vincennes, IN, and Garry and his wife Martha of Bartlesville, OK. Six Grandchildren and six great-grandchildren also survive. In addition, Martha leaves her cat, Sam, who was her loyal and faithful companion for eight years. Visitation for Martha will be held at Goodwin Funeral Home in Vincennes, IN, on Wednesday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. To honor Mrs. England's career as a Registered Nurse, The Nursing Honor Guard from Good Samaritan Hospital will be present during the visitation at Goodwin Funeral Home. Services will be conducted at Heath Funeral Home on Saturday at 11:00. Friends may visit with the family from 10:00 - 11:00 at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Greene County Memorial Gardens. Martha had accepted Christ as her Savior when she was sixteen and was ready to meet God. She had been a member of McKinley Avenue Baptist Church in Harrisburg, IL, since 1967. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Martha’s memory may be made to In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Martha’s memory may be made to Paragould Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).