Martha Jean Ravenscroft was born on November 3, 1923 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, the fourth child and second daughter of Joseph and Pauline Everett Spurgeon. Her childhood memories included learning to tend chickens, milk cows, herd sheep, plant a garden and hoe sugar beets. She especially enjoyed herding sheep on her black pony “Belle” and going to the movies with her dad-tickets were ten cents. She graduated from high school in Scottsbluff in 1942 and from nurses’ training in 1945 at West Hospital School of Nursing in Scottsbluff.
Martha met her future husband, Francis Ravenscroft, at a country dance in Kennedy, Nebraska. They were married on June 6, 1946, in Aunt Mae Everett’s house. They started married life living with Mother Ravenscroft and 2 other newlywed Ravenscroft brothers, all under the same roof, until their house was ready to move into-six months later. They lived on the Ravenscroft Cross O for seven years and then moved to Saratoga, Wyoming. They lived in Saratoga for twenty years. They then moved to the SH ranch south of Miles City on the Tongue River. In 1983 they started over and moved back to the sandhills of Mullen, Nebraska until Francis death from cancer in 1996. After Francis’ death, Martha lived in Mullen for a year and then moved to Miles City to be close to daughter Alice and family.
Survivors include her sons; Ray Francis (Laura) of Sutherland, Nebraska, Edward Olin (Cheryl) of Rexburg, Idaho, and daughter Alice Jean (Greg) Kmetz of Miles City; eleven grandchildren; Olin Ravenscroft of Stevensville, Montana, Keara (Dave) Brunner of Scottsbluff, Lex (Patrice) Ravenscroft of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Ian Ravenscroft of San Diego, California and Reid Ravenscroft of Washington State, Andrea and Trevor Kmetz of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Brooks (Brooke) Kmetz of Miles City and Anacia, and Taylor Ravenscroft of Grand Island, Nebraska and Kortnie Ravenscroft, of Lincoln, Nebraska; 6 ½ great grandchildren: Bayleigh, Jessie and Brendan Ravenscroft, Dane Phillip Kmetz, Ezra Brunner, and another Brunner due the 24th of December of Olivia Ravenscroft; 2 sisters, Wilma Gibson and Phyllis (Dean) Drawbaugh of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Also, sister-in-laws: Jean McGaughey and Ruth Holm, and brother-in-law, Donald Ravenscroft. We can’t forget her little Jack Russell.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Francis; brothers, Bob, John, and Ed Spurgeon, and older sister Ruth McKinley and her husband Homer McKinley.
Martha’s favorite Bible verse that she repeated often is Philippians 4:6-7, “In nothing be anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. Vs 7- And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.”
Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2015 with the family receiving friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. A prayer service will follow at 6:00 p.m. Interment will be held on Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Valentine, Nebraska.
Memorials can be sent to the Miles City Gideons, P.O. Box 362, Miles City, MT. 59301