Martha Lois Becker was born Oct. 12, 1945, in American Falls, Idaho, the daughter of Edwin D. and Elma E. (Wenger) Becker. She grew up on a potato and dairy farm in the desert near Aberdeen, Idaho.
Martha attended Mid-South Bible College in Memphis for one year before pursuing a BA in art at Bethel College in Kansas. While at Bethel, she met her future husband, Darvin Eugene Yoder. After Bethel, she studied painting at Fort Hays State College in Hays, Kansas. In July 1969, she traveled to Laos where Darvin was teaching with International Voluntary Service. They were married on July 7, 1969, in Vientiane.
After their return to the US in 1970, they lived in Iowa City while Darvin completed his master’s degree at the University of Iowa. Their daughter Kate was born there in 1972. They then moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Darvin taught art, and their son Ben was born in 1974. Their next move was to White Pigeon, Michigan, where they volunteered at Youth Village, a camp for at-risk teen boys, and Martha served as camp cook. Their daughter Anna was born in Michigan in 1975.
In April 1977, the family moved to the farm in rural Parnell, Iowa, where Martha and Darvin spent the next 44 years. During these years, Martha served as manager of the Crowded Closet thrift store, earned her MFA in printmaking from the University of Iowa, worked at the University of Iowa Museum of Art, kept sheep on the farm, served as associate pastor at West Union Mennonite Church, and explored the book of Revelation through her artwork.
She and Darvin moved to Oaknoll retirement residence in Iowa City in November 2021, and she died at Oaknoll Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the age of 78.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband: Darvin; siblings: Elizabeth (Wilbur) Hershberger and Dan (Marlys) Becker; children: Kate (Keith) Slater, Ben (Anna) Wyse, and Anna (Dave) Geyer; and grandchildren: Levi, Rachel, Jesse, Vic, Sam, Martha, and Desmond.
She was a member of West Union Mennonite Church.
A memorial service will be 10:30, July 25, 2024, at West Union Mennonite Church in rural Parnell. A private family burial will take place. A memorial fund has been established for Bethel College Art Department. Messages may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com. Yoder Powell Funeral Home in Kalona in caring for Martha and her family.
