Lillian Martin

Lillian JoAnn Martin, 65 of Odessa died at her daughters home Sunday, September 12, 2010. She was born July 27, 1945 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Inez and James Rainwater. Her mother moved the family to Odessa when JoAnn was a small child, and JoAnn completed school at Odessa High School. As a young adult, JoAnn worked at local restaurants and Allied Van Lines until she became a licensed beautician. While working as a beautician, she went to work for Deerings West Nursing Home where she later changed careers to become the Activity Director there. She truly had a passion for the residents in the nursing home, and worked very hard to bring a smile and love to all of the residents there. Due to health issues she retired in 1998.

Mrs. Martin was a proud Girl Scout Leader of Troop 309 for six years, making every effort to make each Girl Scout feel special and important while teaching them new things. She often volunteered as a Room Mother in her daughters classes, helping to coordinate class social activities and assisting the teacher when called upon. Despite sometimes working two jobs, she always made time to support and attend her daughters school and personal activities. She always put her daughter first, often ahead of her own needs, always letting her daughter know how much she loved her.

After retirement, she refused to sit still and let her disabilities control her life. Her strong sense of independence motivated her to apply her talents to crafts and hobbies, and her scooter chair gave her the mobility she needed to keep going. She loved to crochet, sew, quilt, and later to paint, usually creating beautiful gifts and heirlooms for her friends and family. She often entered some of her items in the Permian Basin Fair, winning numerous ribbons. Her friends and family will remember her with love for her generosity, her smile, her laugh, her sense of humor, her methods of adaptation to her disabilities and her refusal to give in to her illnesses. Acquaintances will remember her as the lady in her motorized scooter chair going up and down West County Road to catch the bus, go shopping, or going to Sonic for a Happy Hour Diet Coke.


She is preceded in death by her parents and stepfather Riley Roosevelt Smith, her infant son Alan Ray Howes, brother Joseph Rainwater and sister Kay Jimenez.

Survivors include her daughter Tammy Martin and husband Bill Vallie of Odessa brother James JC Rainwater and wife Rose of Burbank, OK sister Susie Batson and husband Billy of Waxahachie, TX brother, Richard Smith and wife Debbie of Long Grove, OK brother Dennis Smith and wife Judy of Ponca City, OK brother Larry Smith and wife Brenda of Miami, OK and numerous nieces and nephews. Her extended family included her devoted friends Alice Hicks and husband Kenneth of Lovington, NM Modene Martin of Artesia, NM Pauline Loving of Odessa, TX and Delma Diaz and friend Teia Ward of Austin, TX.

The Martin Family would like to express their deep gratitude to the entire staff at Compass Hospice for their exemplary and loving care of JoAnn, especially Manuel Rios, Diana Lujan and Socorro Quiroz, as well as Kathy Taylor from Star Care.

Memorial services will be 4:00 PM Saturday, September 18, 2010 at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplin Owen Sharp of Compass Hospice be officiating. Services are under the direction of Sunset Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.

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