Martha Kupfer

Martha “Marti” Pauline Kupfer, 94, of Tremont, IL., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 26th at 9 PM, as a resident of the Hopedale Nursing Home.

Marti was born to Samuel and Katherine Tomich in Granite City, Illinois on September 16, 1930. Marti is survived by her son Robert (Mitzi) Hohulin, and five grandchildren, Grant, Grace, Gage, Lauren and Luke Hohulin, all of Tremont. She is also survived by her sisters Angie (Jim) Haring, and Betty Mason, both of Ohio, Pauline Stuber of Tremont, Julie Tracy of California, and one brother, David (Millie) Tomich of Ohio.  Sister-in-laws, Edith Knobloch of Iowa, and Marie Hohulin of Peoria in addition to many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Al Hohulin in 1994, one son Philip Hohulin in 2000, and her husband Harold Kupfer of Richland, Washington in 2017, one sister Dotty Skidmore, and one brother Walter Tomich, both of Ohio.

Marti graduated from Mansfield Nursing School in Mansfield, Ohio in 1960, receiving the student nurse of the year award and graduating at the top of her class. She spent her lifelong career as a Registered Nurse. She worked in several hospitals, including Hopedale Medical Complex, where she was the first director of the Home Health Department until her retirement in the early 90’s. She helped and impacted so many people over the years through her service.

She loved children and looked forward to having a family, and in 1961 she married Al Hohulin in Tremont and had two sons, Philip and Robert. She prided herself on being a godly mother, and a godly, faithful wife. She was a long-time member of Northfield Christian Fellowship and was very active in multiple ministries.  After her husband's passing in 1994, she found love again and remarried in 1997.  Marti and her new husband Harold Kupfer, moved to his home in Richland, Washington, where they had many wonderful adventures and travels. She became a member of the Richland AC Church where she developed many sweet and enduring friendships and served in so many ways.  She taught Sunday School and decorated for many events.  After 20 years of marriage to Harold and his passing in 2017, she returned to Tremont to be close to her family and her 5 grandchildren.

Marti had many passions in life, with her desire to follow Christ being the most important.  Her walk with her savior permeated every relationship, every endeavor, every aspect of her life, and it was evident to anyone who knew her.

Marti was gifted in so many ways. She loved to create and to learn. She loved flowers, gardening, crafting, scrap booking, sewing, spending time with family, entertaining friends with dinner parties, and following politics. She was a talented musician, gifted pianist and organist, and loved to sing and listen to music.  She was an artist and was known for her artistic creativity.  She had a true affinity for Butch’s pizza, pralines and cream ice cream, and most of all Twinkies. She really enjoyed playing games and was rather competitive, and would beat her son Rob and his children in UNO and BOGGLE regularly.

Marti was active along with Harold in the Gideons organization, as she believed in their outreach ministry. She also truly enjoyed watching videos of her grandsons playing football with the CLA Lions Football program. She was her grandsons’ biggest supporter and loved to see them grow in their abilities and faith. The football club is partnered with Kingdom Sports and Christian Life Academy in Hopedale, IL.  She was excited that they were able to participate in a Christ-centered football program. The Lions Football Club program’s foundation is Jesus Christ and the word of God. A training ground for doing life God’s way, and discipling players for Christ, in the process of who they will be 20 plus years from now.

Memorials may be made to the Gideons INTL organization, or CLA Lions Football Club at KingdomSports.online/Lions-football/ or by check to Christian Life Academy, 222 Tremont St., Hopedale, IL. 61747 with “Marti-football” in the memo line.

Services will be on Thursday, March 6th at Northfield Christian Fellowship in Tremont, with a visitation beginning at 9 AM, followed directly by the funeral service at 10 AM.   A graveside service will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery in Tremont.  Lunch will be at the church afterwards. The services will be live streamed at northfieldchristian.org, then click “watch and listen”, then “view live services”.  Davis-Oswald Funeral Home in Tremont is handling the arrangements. 

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