Williams - Martha Vancleave Cowan
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review, 20 April 1970
Mrs. Martha E. Williams, 62, of 1375 S. Grant Ave., owner of Ben Hur Home, Inc., died at 1:15 p.m. Sunday in Robert Long Hospital at Indianapolis after a long illness. A native of Crawfordsville, she was a daughter of Harry and C1ara Clements VanCleave and was born Aug. 29, 1907. Mrs. Williams was a graduate of Crawfordsville High School. She was a graduate also of Blaker Teachers College at Indianapolis and attended Indiana University. She taught school for several years. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, served on its board, was a past president of the Wesley Guild and taught Sunday School for 30 years. Mrs. Williams was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, Business and Professional Women's Club (she was named its outstanding member of the year in 1969), Zonta Club, Daughters of the American Revolution and War Mothers. She was active many years with Girl Scouts here. Mrs. Williams was a member and director of the American Nursing Homes Association and officer in the Indiana Nursing Homes Association and listed in Who's Who of American Women and the International Biographical Directory published in London. She purchased the Ben Hur Nursing Home in 1955. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Donald (Esther) Houston of Carmel; two sons, Max Cowan of Lebanon and Fred Cowan of Crawfordsville; 11 grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Richard Korty of Houston, Tex., and a brother, Hugh VanCleave of Crawfordsville. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Hunt and Son Funeral Home with Rev. Frank Little officiating and burial in Oak Hill Cemetery. Friends may call after 7 p.m. today.
Thanks muches to Phil Coons, my VanCleave guru :)