Pauline Martin

Missionary Pauline "Polly" Martin, 83, entered her glorification August 17, 2013. She had suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

She graduated ETSU with a Bachelor of Science degree. This was followed with a Master of Arts degree in Library Science from George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, TN; and the Master of Religious Education degree from the Carver School of Missions and Social Work in Louisville, KY.

Before appointment to full-time missions work, she served as an elementary teacher in Greene County, TN, and librarian at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. She worked in the Cherokee Regional Library, Lafayette, GA. She was a summer missionary in Oregon under the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board.

Pauline was appointed a missionary by the Foreign Missions board in May 1955. Language study was done at Oyo, Nigeria. Her primary place of service was Abeokuta, Nigeria, West Africa. She taught at the Baptist Women's College until the school was closed in 1988. At that time she taught Theological Education by Extension, Adult Literacy Education, Prison Ministry and Leper Ministry in the various leper settlements in Nigeria. She was heavily involved in the Association of Missions, keeping qualified men in the pulpits of the churches. She served in Nigeria for forty years.

She was preceded in death by sisters, Alma Ruth Bruce and Mary Kate Castle. Her parents were Luke Martin, Sr., and Eula Kate Shaw Martin.

Pauline is survived by her brothers J. Stanley Martin and his wife Laura Fuson Martin and Luke Martin, Jr., and wife Flo Fuson Martin. Dr. (Nana) Kwame Boateng of Ghana, West Africa is Pauline's adopted son.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, August 24, 2013, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., at First Baptist Church. A Celebration of Life will follow at 11:00 a.m. with Dr. Marvin Cameron and Rev. Mitch Whisnant officiating.

Interment will follow in Wills Cemetery near Grange Hall in Hawkins County. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Special long-time friends include Betty Ewing, fellow missionary; the David DeVault family; the William Robinson family and Lind Willett among others.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Mid South Chapter, 207 N. Boone St., Suite 1500, Johnson City, TN 37604, or First Baptist Church Memorial Fund, 200 W. Church Circle, Kingsport, TN, 37660.

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