Roscoe Mart Obituary (1930

Roscoe Mart, 94, of rural Eddyville, Iowa passed away May 8, 2024, leaving an emptiness in the hearts and lives of his family and friends. Roscoe, along with identical-twin brother, Rollin, was born Jan. 15, 1930 at the family farm in rural Monroe County, Iowa to Arthur Farrold and Edith Frances (Plough) Mart. With the sad, untimely death of his mother, 9-year old Roscoe and his siblings moved to the farm of his maternal grandparents, Clell and Zula (Mattix) Plough, who then raised the children. Their father moved to Illinois for work. Roscoe graduated 8th-grade from Forrest Hill, a one-room country school. He was a good student, often winning Spelling Bee contests. Education was important to Roscoe, so while in the service he completed his GED courses. Later, he was awarded his Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District high school diploma in 2017 at the age of 87. On Aug. 16, 1951 during the Korean War, Roscoe was drafted into the military, and at the processing center volunteered for the United States Marine Corps. He trained at Camp Pendleton, San Diego, Calif. From there he went to Nevada's Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot, where he became a military police officer. He was discharged on Aug. 15, 1953. While in the service, Roscoe had many adventures and developed deep friendships. He named his oldest son, Doug, after his Marine Corps buddy, Doug Baldry. Over the years, Roscoe enjoyed traveling to the Marine Corps Reunion in Hawthorne to renew old acquaintances and swap stories. After his discharge, he returned to Iowa to farm with his grandad. Later, Roscoe's father returned to the area and the two worked together farming. On Feb. 2, 1957 he married Beverly JoAnn Smith of Eddyville, Iowa. To this union five children - Douglas, Debra, Diane, Denise, and Daniel -- were born. Roscoe and Beverly were married for 51 years until Beverly's death in 2008. In 1964 Roscoe and Beverly purchased the Plough-family farm where Roscoe and his siblings were raised. Roscoe and Beverly worked together farming, raising cattle and hogs, milking cows, and growing crops. They also worked to modernize the farm and house. Roscoe was an independent person, who could fix almost anything and doctor almost any animal. In his younger years, he did custom baling and tore down old barns for neighbors, using the salvaged lumber to build farm buildings on his farm. In total, Roscoe made this farm his home for 85 years. In 2025 the farm will qualify as a Centennial Farm. Roscoe was also a voracious reader for his entire life, with Zane Grey being his favorite author. He also enjoyed playing cards and missed his weekly card games with his father, brother, and friends, who preceded him in death. He and Beverly enjoyed going antiquing, traveling out West, and going to casinos. Roscoe was preceded in death by his wife, Beverly; an infant great-grandson James Roscoe Mart; his parents; his grandparents; his siblings: infant sister Alice, Thayne, Rollin, Betty (Mart) Fosenburg, Bonnie (Mart) Waits; sisters-in-laws: Marjorie Hootman, Geraldine Mart, Irene Mart, Vina Mart, Mary (Smith), West; brothers-in-laws Henry Fosenburg, Glenn Waits, Ernie Moses, Thomas Smith; a niece, Allyson Karl; and his parents-in-law Chet and Anna (DeMaria) Smith. He is survived by his children: Doug Mart of rural Eddyville; Deb (Mark) Mowry of Rochester, MN; Diane (Drew) Bracken of Indianola, IA; Denise Mart Mohsenin of La Selva Beach, CA; Daniel Mart of Mount Pleasant, IA; grandchildren: Douglas Mart, Jr., Chris (Laura) Mart, Dan (Heather) Mowry, Tim Mowry, Jessie Mowry, Corey Bracken, Ryan Bracken, Keyan Mohsenin, Tabriz Mohsenin, Zarin Mohsenin, Darian Mohsenin, Andrea Sandvig, Jesse Miller; and numerous great-grandchildren; his sisters, Joyce Moses and June (John) Spencer; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will be on Tuesday, May14 opening to the public at 3 pm with family present at 5-7 pm at Eddyville Funeral Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am, Wednesday, May 15 with Joyce Moses officiating at Eddyville Funeral Chapel. Interment with military rights will be in Coal Creek Cemetery in Mahaska County. Luncheon following. In lieu of flowers memorials have been established to Care Initiatives Hospice of Albia.