Jean Collier Martin

Jean Collier Martin was born on February 12, 1927 in Rector, Ark., to George and Ada Collier and passed away on Easter, April 9, 2023 in Dallas, Tex.

She was raised on a small farm in Rector. After graduation from Rector High School, she attended Asbury College in Wilmore, Kent. There she met her husband, Max Martin. They married on June 26, 1945. They moved to Carbondale, Ill., where Max attended Southern Illinois University. They pastored several small Methodist churches in the Southern Illinois Methodist Conference. Jean, Max, Steve and Lynn(ette) then moved to Dallas where Max graduated from Southern Methodist University Seminary. The family returned to Chester, Ill., to pastor the Methodist Church and Kevin was added to the family. Jean was the pastor’s wife in Chester, Flora, Litchfield, Mt. Carmel, Maron, and Carbondale.

Max and Jean then moved to Springfield, Mo., where Max was a professor and Jean was the Administrative Assistant in the Social Studies department. Jean completed her associate degree at Evangel.After Max passed in 1999, Jean moved to Gurnee, Ill., to be near Steve and his family. She met Peter Janzen who was her companion for 16 years.

Jean was preceded in death by her son Kevin and grandson Shane Martin Mahaffee.

She is survived by her son Stephen Michael Martin (Betty), daughter Lynn Collier Martin (Vickie Walther), grandchildren Julie, Timothy, Brian (Maria), Amy (Erik), Tiffany Willett (Don), nephew Kenny Collier (Barb) and 15 great grandchildren.

She will be remembered for her strong Christian faith and witness, good deeds and her fabulous pecan pie, fried chicken and fried okra.

Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, April 14, 2023, at the Irby Funeral Home in Rector with the service at 11 a.m. Well, done, Good and Faithful Servant!