Martha Sather

Published March 22, 2020 at 12:14 PM

Martha Sather, age 92, of Fosston, MN, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 18th, at her son’s home in Thief River Falls surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 28th, via Facebook Live, with the Rev. Jane Ekholm officiating. Interment will be in Hope Lutheran Cemetery, Fosston, at a later date. Due to the health crisis, there is no public service. The funeral service may be accessed Live through the Carlin Family Funeral Service Facebook page and at www.carlinfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Hope Lutheran Radio/TV fund or the Hope Lutheran Cemetery fund.

Martha Sather was born on August 25, 1927, in Brook, Minnesota, the daughter of John B. and Selma (Bredemeier) Nordenstrom. She was baptized and confirmed in the Mora Methodist Church. After graduating from Mora High School in 1944, she attended Hamlin University and St. Cloud State Teachers College.

Martha was united in marriage to Dr. R. Norman Sather on October 1, 1949, at Hamlin United Methodist Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. After their marriage they lived in Fosston, Minnesota, where her husband joined his brothers, Dr. George Sather and Dr. Leland (Bud) Sather, in a medical practice. They had one son, Richard Norman Sather II.

Throughout the years, Martha was active in her church community. Her musical interests led her to providing music at Hope Lutheran and Zion Lutheran churches as organist for many years.

Martha had been a member of the Red River Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. She was a member of the McDowell Music Club, served on the Fosston Library Board and was a charter member of the Heritage Center. Additionally, she held a 50-year member status on the Minnesota Women’s Medical Auxiliary and was a charter member of the Fosston Hospital Medical Auxiliary.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Dr. R. Norman Sather, her brothers, Everett, Wallace and Bernard Nordenstrom and one sister, Gladys Krenek.

She is survived by her son, Richard Sather and his wife, Mei-Wen, of Thief River Falls, MN, and grandson, Richard Norman Sather III, two sisters, Audrey Fairchild, and Phyllis Kuluvar and one sister-in-law, Marie Nordenstrom, along with many nieces and nephews.