Winona Martin (Morrison), 96

Winona Martin (Morrison) was born Feb. 18, 1920, near Everman, East Texas, the last of eight (six surviving) children of Nellie Eugenie Isom and John J. Martin. Her mother suffered brain damage during Winona’s birth and thereafter was unable to work in the home. Aunt Georgia kept and cared for infant Winona through her first year. Then she was looked after by siblings Frances and Royce.

The Martins struggled sharecropping cotton and corn, helped at times by family loan of a mule or cow, moving when a landlord decided they couldn’t work hard enough. Winona recalled that they were forced off land after laboring seven-days-a-week to clear it of invasive Johnson grass. Basic necessities of sharecropper life were plow, hoe, mule cart, kerosene stove and lamp, outhouse, rain-from-the-roof cistern (theirs went dry one year), Bible, traveling preacher and graveyard at a country church. Meals were often just beans, three times a day. Oranges were rare gifts. Frances planted vegetables. There were sometimes shoes. A couple named Bonnie and Clyde worked briefly on their Uncle Bud’s farm.

Winona was hungry for knowledge. Before beginning school, she quizzed her next oldest sibling, Mary, about every day’s lessons. Once in school, she was determined to continue past the eight grades of the two-room country schoolhouse. Sisters had left the farm for city work or marriage, and Frances welcomed Winona to the tiny trailer home made by husband Cloman, moveable to his road construction worksites. Winona attended three high schools and excelled, studying at the trailer’s one small table. At night, Frances, Cloman and infant Dorothy slept in the one small bed, Winona on mats under the table. One long night, they listened as ambulances wailed to and from New London School, destroyed by an enormous gas explosion. Winona graduated from Arp High School in 1937.

Sister Gladys’ husband found work for Royce in Houston, enabling John, Nellie and Winona to live there with him. Royce provided tuition, and after finishing business school at 18, Winona began working. Royce soon died of cancer at 27.

During World War II, Winona met Woodrow Morrison, a farm boy whose family had moved from Maine to Los Angeles. Woodrow had been a Civilian Conservation Corps woodsman in the Sierras, a Navy sailor from 1936, survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was on shore leave in Houston before going to North Atlantic convoy duty. Introduced in his Navy dress white uniform to Winona’s father, Woodrow tripped and fell flat in the front yard. Still, when he hopefully sent Winona a train ticket to New York, she said yes. There, she quickly became lead secretary in a law firm and plunged her Texas-accented farm girl self into New York City art and culture.

Winona and Woodrow married in 1943. At war’s end she followed him back to California and became mother to Woodrow’s two sons from his previous marriage, Woodrow Jr. and Richard. Children Royce, Kathleen and John followed, and a brilliant legal secretary became a devoted, problem-solving mother. Practical and deeply schooled in thrift, Winona and Woodrow got through lean years, consistently supported the family, encouraged education, loved their children, then welcomed chosen spouses and loved grandchildren.

Winona was responsible, principled, and faithful to family and creator. She took on challenges, including the limitations imposed by a “man’s world.” Knowing struggle and sorrow, she was cautious in relationships, made only a few fast friends, yet aimed to treat every person fairly and was sympathetic to others’ needs. However, in a Texan’s favorite game of “42,” you simply had to hope she would be your partner, as she was the master.

After giving 24x7 care to Woodrow through two years until his death in 1996, Winona continued living in San Jose, her home for more than 50 years. She always enjoyed talking with neighbors, managing rental properties, driving her pickup, finding a bargain, reading, word games and showing that she could prepare her tax returns to age 93.

Winona was closely supported by daughter Kathy for many years, then assisted in living with son John’s family for three years. With reluctance, she said goodbye to the pickup and delegated property management to Royce and John’s wife, Linda. In her last year, Winona lived near Kathy in Coeur d’Alene, where staff of The Renaissance were simply wonderful caregivers.

Winona Martin Morrison died gently on Aug. 7, 2016, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters and brother; husband Woodrow D. Morrison Sr.; son Richard Morrison and grandchild Roberta Ann Morrison. She is survived by Woodrow Morrison Jr. of La Pine, Ore. (Claudia; grandchild Oleeta Morrison Loupe [great-grandchild Landen Loupe, Jessalyn Rhodes (great-great-grandchild Mattherson)], Terri Lynn Cavalli [Don; great-grandchild Anthony, Amanda, Ashley], Woodrow III [great-grandchild Oleeta], and Eric [Melissa, great-grandchild Jonathan]); Royce Morrison of Seattle, Wash. (Rose; grandchild Donald and Eleanor Boyd [great-grandchild Berkley Morrison-Hill]), Kathleen Herfurth of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (Gary; grandchild Andrew [Amanda, great-grandchild Qwintessa], Jenny [great-grandchild Amber], Dennis [Dionna, great-grandchild Jonathon, Gisella, Joshua, Josiah, Jeremiah, Julianna], and Lara); John Martin Morrison of Livermore, Calif. (Linda, grandchild Ceilidh, Aiden, Mairi and John Matthew [Shana, great-grandchild Averi]).

The gift of Winona’s life, generosity and love can never be repaid. We are forever grateful.

Memorial gatherings will occur in Coeur d’Alene and at Arlington National Cemetery, where Winona’s ashes will be interred alongside her husband’s. Remembrances may be made by being thoughtfully kind to people in need.