Funeral services for Earline (Dusty) Martin, 85, of Clifton, were held Tuesday, June 16, 2009,  at First Baptist Church in Clifton. Burial was in Clifton Memorial Park.

For the past several years, she has been battling cancer.  She passed away on Friday June 12, 2009 at Providence Hospital.

Earline Rhodes was born on April 15, 1924, in Wewoka, Okla., to Carl and Bertha Rhodes.

In her childhood years her family faithfully attended a Baptist Church there. “Dusty” moved to San Diego, Calif., in her young adult years to live with her sister Pauline. It was in San Diego that she met a young navy seaman stationed there during the Korean War by the name of Wyndell “Booger” Martin. After a short courtship “Dusty” and “Booger” were married in the Calvary Southern Baptist Church by the Rev. S.H. Casey on Sept. 24, 1950. Dusty’s sister and family had helped to start this church. The young couple made San Diego their home for a number of years and were very active in the church. Two sons were born to their marriage during these years. Robert (Bob) was born in 1951 and Drex was born in 1953. The Martin family moved back to Texas and lived in Brady, near Booger’s childhood home. Both of their sons graduated from Brady High School.

The couple moved to Clifton in the early seventies where he was hired to help build Chemical Lime Plant. It was here in Bosque County that they settled and made many friends. They joined the First Baptist Church of Clifton in 1973, and have been active members for 36 years. She worked with children and has been active serving on many committees and involved in VBS and other activities in the church through the years.

She helped to start the Bosque County Art Club in 1976 with a group of ladies. She loved to take pictures and has chronicled all of their activities through the years in a sort of pictorial history book. She was honored earlier in the year at a luncheon honoring the four original members, though she was too ill to attend.

Dusty Martin loved to travel, paint, weave, quilt, and read. She was a gracious and hospitable host and for many years hosted the Rhodes family reunion at her home. She loved the old west and enjoyed traveling through the western states. One of her favorite trips was to Alaska. She was also a member of the Garden Club and she, and Booger, were members of Ducks Unlimited.

Survivors include her husband, W.C. (Booger) Martin; two sons, Robert (Bob) Wyndell Martin of Galveston, and James Drex Martin of Clifton; two daughters-in-law, Margie Martin of Galveston and Vera Martin of Clifton; three grandsons, James Robert Martin of Palestine, Matthew Martin of Galveston, and Dustin Martin of Houston; and two great-grandchildren, Mattew Kade Martin and Maliah Martin of Sulphur, La.; two sisters, Pauline Looney of Colorado and Frankie Jean Smith of New Braunfels; one brother, Ray Rhodes of Oklahoma, and sister-in-law, Nyla Rhodes of Oklahoma; as well as numerous nieces and nephews all across the United States.
Clifton Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.