Martha Top

Martha Top, daughter of the late Ted and Alberta (Sybesma) Cramer, was born on February 26, 1928 in Sanborn, Iowa, and passed away on April 2, 2008 at her residence in Mtn. Grove, Missouri following a long illness. She was 80 years, 1 month, and 7 days of age.
Martha grew up and attended school in the Sanborn, Iowa area and was united in marriage to Marinus Top on March 22, 1950 in Holland, Minnesota. Two sons were born to this union. They made their home in the Mtn. Grove area for over thirty years.
Martha spent her life caring for her family. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend. She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren.
She enjoyed being outdoors tending to her flower and vegetable gardens and sharing her produce with those around her. She also liked bright colors, sewing, and playing board games, especially Scrabble. She had a great passion for yard sales. She liked Bluegrass music and playing the guitar. She was always ready to share a story with anyone around her and laugh about it.
Martha was a longtime member of the Southside Baptist Church in Mtn. Grove. She was very active in church and looked forward to attending as long as her health permitted. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers: William Cramer and Ed Cramer; and by one sister: Betty VanSlooten.
She is survived by her husband of fifty-eight years: Marinus Top of their home; her sons and daughters-in-law: Leslie and Onita Top and Leon and Teresa Top, all of Mtn. Grove; one brother: John Cramer and his wife, Ethel, of Foreston, Minnesota; two sisters: Johanna DeGroot and her husband, Lawrence, of Aurora, South Dakota, and Rose VanderSyde of Wayland, Michigan; six grandchildren: Aleta (Top) Gustavson, Marinus “Jake” Top, Joshua Top, Taletha Top, Levi Top, and Teascha Hulbert; nine great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends who will miss her very much.
Funeral services for Martha Top were held Saturday, April 5, 2008, 10:00 AM in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel with Rev. Roger Flint officiating. Iby and Ruth Edwards and John and Shirley Shores sang “The Haven Of Rest,” and “Go Rest High On That Mountain.” Pallbearers were Jake Top, J.R. Top, Kevin Hulbert, John Top, Levi Top, Ted Cramer, and Nate Gustavson. Burial was in the Hillcrest Cemetery under the direction of the Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home, Mtn. Grove, Missouri.


Funeral Services:
Saturday, April 5, 2008 10:00 AM in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel, Mtn. Grove, Missouri.
Visitation:
No Formal Visitation, friends may call from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM in the funeral home.
Burial:
Hillcrest Cemetery
In lieu of flowers/contributions to:
Community Hospice - The Gideons - or the Mtn. Grove Christian Academy.