Olva E. Martin

Olva Edna Martin, 79, of Benton Harbor passed away January 4, 2002, in Chicago. Funeral services celebrating her life will be held at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, January 9, 2002 at the Fairplain Presbyterian Church, Benton Harbor with Rev. John Munson officiating. Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery, St. Joseph. Friends may call on Tuesday from 5-8 PM at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to the Fairplain Presbyterian Church. She was born May 28, 1922, in Rayland, Ohio, to John and Caroline Schultz. Survivors include: husband, Irving Martin, retired prominent area businessman; daughter, Dr. Carol Ann Shaver, her husband George; and son, Dr. Larry Martin, and his wife Joy. There are four grandchildren ? Caroline and Edward Shaver, and Thomas and Elizabeth Martin. She has a brother, Jerry Schultz from Rayland, Ohio, and a sister-in-law, Bernadette. Olva graduated from Warren consolidated High School in Tiltonsville, Ohio. During Olva?s senior year in high school, her music teacher was drafted into the Service and Olva had to conduct the band for her own graduation ceremony. She was in band from the 7th to 12th grades. After graduating from high school, she attended Sherwood Music College in Chicago, and Northwestern University and received a bachelor?s degree in music. She taught mainly brass instruments at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. Irving and Olva met at Sherwood Music School in 1945. They both played in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Olva played trombone in the Chicago Symphony and the U.S. Marine Band. Irving and Olva were married Oct. 26, 1946, in Chicago. Olva furthered her education by obtaining a business college degree. Olva studied culinary arts, nutrition and diet, at the Culinary Institute in New York, Purdue University, Andrews University, and obtained chef and gourmet chef degrees from the Culinary School of Arts in Chicago, the Francois & Antoinette Pope School of Fancy Cookery in Chicago. Olva ran her own catering business for numerous years and taught gourmet-cooking classes for the Benton Harbor Adult Education Program, and was the coordinator/instructor for the Culinary Arts Department at Lake Michigan College. She taught at Lake Michigan College for 12 years, and also conducted the Gourmet Food Shows there, which was widely attended by the entire surrounding communities. Olva was a Charter member of the Fairplain Presbyterian Church, and a deacon. Olva was a member of the Czechoslovakia Beseda Club. She was a past Vice President, and held other officer Positions. She was an officer and life member of the Am vets, and was District President for eight years. She was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign War Auxiliary. Other organizations Olva was a member of include: Berrien County Stroke Club, Pink Slipper Club, Eagles, and Berrien County Sportsman?s Club. She was a volunteer with numerous community organizations. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.