Wilma C. Martin, 91, of Lincoln, NE, passed away peacefully on March 19, 2025. She was born on February 26, 1934, in Madison, NE, to Adolph O. and Anna W. (Freudenburg) Knapp.
A devoted member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Wilma was actively involved in the Women of Redeemer, the Women’s Welcome Club, and the Lincoln Senior Chorus. She also enjoyed being part of the Camp Creek Threshers. Wilma had a passion for tending to her plants and flowers, and she loved traveling to new places.
Wilma spent the majority of her career working at South Cotner Clinic, which later became Holmes Lake Family Medicine.
On August 10, 1957, Wilma married Edwin “Ed” J. Martin at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Green Garden Twp., Madison County, NE. Together, they had three children: Jon W. Martin (Debbie) of Boise, ID; Lisa D. Martin-Price (Ron); and Camilla S. Hurst (Lou), both of Lincoln. After Ed’s passing in 1995, she married Leland “Lee” F. Hittner on December 11, 2004, in Lincoln. Lee’s daughter, Patti Becher (Todd) of Las Vegas, NV, became Wilma’s step-daughter.
Wilma’s memory will be cherished by her nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, one step-grandson, and two step-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Ronald “Ron” F. Knapp (Linda) of Dallas, TX; her sister-in-law, Gloria Knapp of Madison, NE; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, sisters and brothers, Dorothea Enterline, Erwin Knapp, Lorraine Laskowski, Eugene Knapp, and Adolph Knapp Jr.
Visitation with family greeting friends will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Monday March 24, 2025, at Roper and Sons Midtown Chapel, 4300 O St.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday March 25, 2025, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 510 S. 33rd St., with a family burial following at Lincoln Memorial Park.
Memorials to Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, 801 Seminary Place, Suite L010, St Louis, MO 63105, or https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/lwml/online-donation-form, the Lincoln Food Bank, or donor’s choice.
Share a Memory or Condolence
I am Wilma’s nephew, William, the oldest son of her youngest brother, Ronald. Around 1984, when I was little, Wilma and her husband Ed visited our family home in Paige, TX. Ed let us peer through the viewfinder of his expensive camera, which had an impact on me, and led me to a career involving cameras and photography. During their visit, we spotted a baby deer on the front lawn, that had apparently just been born. The mother was nowhere in site. Ed shot photos of our small dachshund next to the baby deer, and the resulting photos made our small dog appear to be gigantic! We left the baby alone and she disappeared into the woods with her mother. My Dad still has the photos. Wilma was an avid reader and told me she would finish a book every couple of days. Her house was filled with books, and when I found a couple of my favorite spy novels in her collection, she immediately recalled the name of the main character. Like me, Wilma enjoyed casinos! My wife Serena and I got married in Las Vegas in 2014. After the ceremony, friends and family departed and we stayed for a few more days to serve as our honeymoon. One afternoon, we turned the corner and found Wilma sitting at a slot machine, still playing (and winning)! We had assumed she left when everyone else did. She joined us for dinner and we got to spend some additional quality time with her. Wilma had a practical confidence about her, and I am thankful for her influence in our lives.
– William Knapp
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