Avis de décès de Havana-Dees Martin

MARTIN Havana Dees Martin left an earthly paradise for an eternal paradise when she went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, December 13, 2007, while on vacation with her family in Hawaii. Her Christian faith was the cornerstone of her life with God coming first, followed by her love for her devoted husband of over 54 years, “Al”ton Turner Martin, and then her love for her three daughters, Kipi Martin Harbour, Tedi Martin Hedstrom and Tami Martin. Her husband was the head of the house, her children were the life of the house and she was most definitely the heart of the household. She was her husband's queen. She was a member of St. Nicholas Park Christian Church, having first joined when the family originally moved to Jacksonville in 1969 and while she was able to be an active member she sang in the choir and performed numerous solos. She was also a Sunday School teacher at the church (and various other churches during her lifetime), an accomplished piano player and the director for numerous children's choirs. She worked with the Children's Home Society in conjunction with the church and she organized many children's events for all the children of St. Nicholas Park Christian Church and her community over the years. During her two years in Turkey with her husband and youngest daughter, she also served as the Religious Education Director for the Protestant Faiths. For the past eight years she selflessly took care of her youngest daughter, with whom she had been driving during an unfortunate automobile accident in 1999. She was also the devoted caretaker to her loving husband Al, who is 100% service disabled. Havana was born in Alabama on August 29, 1929, but she grew up in Georgia. She considered herself a life-long Texan due to her many years spent there with her family. She also lived in Germany, Turkey, Hawaii, Colorado, North Carolina, California, and Rhode Island. First and foremost she was a lady and she carried herself with pride and dignity. She attended the Agnes Scott School for Girls and worked as a librarian at Emory University which was then the boys school. She also attended the University of Georgia and was the winner of multiple beauty pageants and did quite a bit of modeling and acting in her lifetime, starting at a very young age. She had her own television program in Atlanta on charm, grooming, modeling and etiquette. She continued this pursuit later in life, as a judge, mentor and mother of three daughters who were all involved in pageants, modeling and acting. Havana had a love for music and was an accomplished ballroom dancer, among many other God given talents including gardening, tennis, painting, teaching, dancing and being the hardest and strongest worker you have ever seen. She was an International baton twirling champion and judge and she owned her own baton twirling school in Georgia, Texas and North Carolina. She followed her husband during his 20 year career in the US Air Force and then as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense. Havana was an animal lover, a member of the Jaycees, Thousand Oaks Country Club, The Garden Club, The Officers Wives Club??, a hospital volunteer, PTA President and an active member in many other organizations, including the most dedicated staff member of an International Adoption Agency, getting much of her passion from her numerous "United Nations" grandchildren whose mother was her middle daughter and Havana was a proud member of a South Florida Opera Company where she sang first soprano. She was a loyal member of the Republican Party for which she served several terms on the Duval County Republican Executive Committee. Due to her husband and daughters she was also a devoted fan of the San Antonio Spurs, NY Yankees, Florida State Seminoles, Jacksonville University Dolphins where her eldest daughter was the feature twirler during their basketball reign in the early 70's, the Florida Gators where her baby daughter worked in sports production and on the coaches shows and the Jacksonville Jaguars where she had Crown Royal Touchdown Club season tickets with her husband and youngest daughter, never missing a game. Havana was preceded in death by her parents James Cannon and Myrtle Bell Tarpley Dees and by her loving grandparents Reed Turner and Rossie Noble Tarpley who had raised she and her sister after the sudden death of their mother when they were young children. She is survived on this earth and leaves to mourn her loving husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchild, sister and many friends as well as her pets. She was loved by all who knew her and will be sorely missed, though her family knows they will once again see her when they pass over to the land of glory. Survivors include her husband, Alton T. Martin II; Children: Kipi Martin Harbour, Tedi Martin Hedstrom son-in-law Donald M. Hedstrom, Tami Martin; Grand-children: Martin, Benjamin, Seth, Victoria, Elizabeth, Aimee, Bailee, Anastasia, Alexander, Natasha, Naomi, Adrian, May Lan, Leilani, Mia, Krestyna, Chase, Janaki, Hunter and Gabriella Hedstrom; Martin's wife - Madestin; Martin's son - Island; and sister, Ethel Juanita “Nita” Williams. Family will receive friends on Thursday (Today), 6:30-8:30 PM at HARDAGE-GIDDENS RIVERMEAD FUNERAL HOME, 127 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park. CONTINUED ON NEXT COLUMN