Martha Stevens

Martha Maurine Stevens (April 9, 1920 - April 28, 2023)

Who would have ever imagined that a girl whose early life began by picking cotton in Turkey, Texas, would have experienced the life that Maurine did.

On April 9, 1920, Eulalia and Ulysses Coker welcomed Martha Maurine to a family that included Dennis, Estelle, Evelyn and Bud. She lived through the Great Depression as part of a family of cotton farmers. At the beginning of World War II she moved to Wichita Falls to attend secretary school and work. She met airman Raymond Stevens and within a month she married the love of her life. As an Air Force wife, she lived in Wichita Falls, Texas; Tucson, Arizona; Seattle, Washington; Pratt, Kansas; Sacramento, California; Cedar City, Utah; Fort Worth, Texas; and Burns Flats, Oklahoma.

After retirement from the military, Maurine and Ray moved to Farmington and Ray became a high school teacher and professor at San Juan College, while Maurine continued her life's mission of raising kids and spending time with her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Maurine and Ray loved travel adventures and toured all 50 states and Europe. Maurine loved being on the road in their RV and being with dear friends chatting around a crackling campfire.

After 69 years of marriage, Ray died in 2012. Maurine continued living in her home creating many hand sewn quilts and nourished beautiful peonies and "naked ladies." Thanks to her children, Maurine became a letterboxer with the trail name of "Pickup." She traveled with her kids throughout the southwest finding boxes and attending gatherings. She never met a letter boxer she didn't like. She loved a glass of eggnog and sitting around talking with her beloved grandchildren, knowing that being with family was the best that life had to offer. Maurine was predeceased by her loving husband, Ray, and her son, Wesley. She is survived by her son Harold and wife Patt; daughter Joan and husband Randy; four grandchildren; Seth and wife Caitlin; Leah; Casey and wife Gizem; Kenna; and four great-grandchildren. Juniper, Maurine, Azel, and Neza.

The family has decided that a service not be held and encourage people to cherish the time they had with Maurine and the memories made with her. Her family will be arranging a celebration of life with close family and friends at a later date in New Mexico. Maurine lived to be 103 years old - a life well lived.