On August 12, 1922, Florine Verelle was born and welcomed by her parents, Dr. Charles Smith and his wife, Clara, and her big brother Frellsen, who was already fourteen and a half years old. The family resided in Oak Grove, Louisiana, where Dr. Smith had practiced medicine for several years.Shortly before Florine was born, however, he had given up his medical practice and entered the evangelistic ministry. The family moved to Ruston in 1924 so that Frellsen could go to Tech. The move also gave Dr. Smith opportunity to start the Ruston Church of God in his family home.Florine grew up here, graduated from Ruston High School in 1939 and then from Louisiana Tech in 1943. She taught chemistry and home economics in Arcadia the next year, and then went to LSU to earn a graduate certificate in social work. In 1946 she married Jack B. Martin of Shreveport. They resided in Bastrop for a short time—until Mr. Martin was offered a job teaching chemistry at Tech. Then they moved back to Ruston.Their daughter Sharon was born in October of 1947 and their daughter Judy, in August of 1949. Their son John came along in March of 1958. Most of the time while Florine was raising her children, she was also employed by the Department of Child Welfare, where she placed children in foster care and in adoption. She enjoyed her work there.However, after sending her daughter to a Christian boarding school, Mrs. Martin decided that we needed a Christian school in Ruston. She started out by forming a kindergarten class in 1965-66, which she taught herself, in the old building of the Ruston Church of God. The next year she moved the school to the fellowship hall across the street, and added first and second grades. She continued to add about two grades a year for three more years.The Martins donated land and built a building that Bethel moved into in the fall of 1969. The very next year, Bethel expanded to include all four years of high school, and remains a K through 12 school today. Mrs. Martin worked long hours at the school until she retired in 1995, with concerns about her own and her husband's health.He preceded her in death in February of '05. Of course, she was also preceded in death by her dad (in 1945), her mom (in 1972), and her brother (in 1992). She also lost a grandchild, Larissa McGuire, in 1974.She is survived by her three children, Sharon (Martin) McGuire, Judy Martin, and John Martin; by son-in-law William (Mac) McGuire, and daughter-in-law, Debbie Martin. She has five grandchildren: Leanna (McGuire) Henderson of Durham, North Carolina, and her husband Gerald, Wesley McGuire of Ruston, Tyler McGuire of Olive Branch, Mississippi, and his wife Amy, and the Martin boys, Luke and Nathan. Mrs. Martin also has five great grandchildren: Natalie McGuire of West Monroe, Harley McGuire of Winnfield, Caleb McGuire of Tuttle, Oklahoma, Emanuel Henderson of Durham, NC, and Bethany McGuire of Olive Branch, Mississippi.Mrs. Martin was a good seamstress, who made her own wedding dress, and a great hostess, who served many meals to her family, friends, and traveling evangelists. She was also a Sunday School teacher for many years, and often encouraged children to memorize Scripture. She read many Bible stories to children, and often quoted certain verses to her children when they were under her roof—verses such as, “Be ye kind one to another—tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you,” and also, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” That is what she tried to do for eighty-five years. She had a Christ-like heart of compassion for the needy people of the world, and generously donated to various missionary outreaches.Visitation will be on Saturday evening, June 30, from 5:00 to 7:00 at Kilpatrick's Funeral Home, and the funeral will be at 1:30 PM on Monday, July 2, at the Ruston Church of God. Sister Sarah Ingram of North Hodge Church of God will be officiating.Online condolences may be made to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com.