Martha Louise Summers Meng

Published 12:38 pm Friday, March 8, 2013

Martha Louise Summers Meng, 89, died Tuesday, March 5, 2013, at Hospice House of Southern Kentucky.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at J.C. Kirby & Sons Lovers Lane Chapel, with burial in Greenlawn Cemetery in Franklin. Visitation is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Visitation is Saturday from 10 a.m. until the funeral hour.

Born to William and Electra Summers on Jan. 22, 1924, in Nelson County, Martha was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Joe William Meng Sr. She is survived a son, Joe Bill and his wife, Debbie; a daughter Sue Ann Meng and her husband, Dr. C.G. O’Brien Jr.; a daughter, Janie Meng Smith and her husband, Skip Sawatsky; seven grandchildren, Alissa Padgett, Will Meng, Neil O’Brien, Ann Lashbrook, Haley Smith, Lucy Lashbrook and Caitlin O’Brien; and five great-grandchildren, Scarlett, Shep and Ansley Padgett, and Joe and Myra Meng.

Martha went to Bethel College in Hopkinsville for two years before attending the University of Kentucky. She met Joe at the UK Seed Lab, where they were student workers. World War II interrupted their studies, and in 1943, they married and began their lives together farming and raising their family in Woodburn. Martha supported and encouraged Joe’s farming enterprise, while working tirelessly to help with farm work, maintain the home and volunteer in numerous community activities such as Jayceettes, Warren County Homemakers, 4-H, PTA and especially Woodburn Baptist Church, where she led the choir for many years. She was also very active in the American Angus Auxiliary. Martha worked at Rich Pond Crop Service for more than 20 years. She was an avid basketball fan and she and Joe cheered the WKU Hilltoppers and UK Wildcats to many victories over the years.

After they sold the farm in 1998, Martha and Joe moved to Bowling Green, where they quickly became part of the “Friday Night Bunch, a wonderful group of friends who made the transition to town a joy. Martha enjoyed volunteering at The Medical Center for over 10 years. She never stopped working and was an inspiration to everyone who knew her for her work ethic and determination.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to a charity of choice, Hospice House of Southern Kentucky or Woodburn Baptist Church.