Martha Anna Leppek

Martha Anna Leppek, 98 of Ruth, passed away Saturday, October 15, 2016 at the Huron County Medical Care Facility. She was born April 15, 1918 in Tyre to the late Edward and Katherine (Pollum) Grifka. Martha married the love of her life, Chester on October 26, 1940. They celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in 2015. They were farmers living their dream, retiring in 1983 when they moved to a new home on Parisville Road. Martha became a parishioner of St. Mary Catholic Church after she married Chester. She then joined the St. Mary Rosary Sodality and took pride in being a part of an organization that helps with the church picnics, funeral luncheons and much more. Martha and Chester shared the heartache of losing their first born, Nancy, in 1958 at the age of 16 due to a farming accident and again in 2004 when their beloved son, Tommy died of a heart attack at the age of 59. Family and friends meant everything to Martha. She talked often of the trips taken, card games played and all the hard work that was shared with those family members, friends and neighbors she thought the world of. If we also cherish those moments, she will live on in our hearts forever. Martha is survived by her beloved husband, Chester; one daughter, Carol (Richard) Diehl of Gulf Breeze, Fla.; one son, Douglas (Deborah) Leppek of Safford, Ariz.; her 4 cherished grandchildren, Donna (Tim) Smith and Denise (James) Soldenski, both of Lapeer, Jared Leppek and Travis (Jenny) Leppek, both from the Bad Axe area; 6 cherished great grandchildren, Kenny Smith, Sam and Kate Soldenski, Matthew Leppek, Colton and Chloe Leppek; her twin sisters who are the only surviving siblings of their family of 11, Alice (Alger) Horetski of Port Austin and Agnes (Frank) Taylor of Ironton, Ohio; one sister-in-law, Vivian Rumptz of Ubly. Besides her parents and two children, Martha was also preceded in death by four brothers, Alex (Olive) Grifka, Cass (Margie) Grifka, Lloyd (Maggie) Grifka, Jack (Kathleen) Grifka; four sisters, Eleanor (Alex) Particka, Theresa (James) Taylor, Gladys and Irene Grifka; one daughter-in-law, Charlotte Leppek, who passed away in 2013. Mass of Christian burial will be 11:00 am Saturday, October 22 at St. Mary Catholic Church of St. Isidore Parish in Parisville. Rev. Todd Arnberg, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Mary Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Zinger-Smigielski Funeral Home in Ubly on Friday from 2:00-9:00 pm and Saturday at St. Mary Church from 10:00-11:00 am. There will be a rosary Friday at 4:00 pm by the St. Isidore Rosary Sodality.