Martha M. Leuenberger

Martha M. Martin Leuenberger, age 87 of Gulfport, MS, passed away peacefully through the gates of heaven Sunday, December 22, 2024. 

She was born on May 3, 1937, in Gulfport, MS. She was a devoted wife, mother, granny, and friend. Martha was a staple in her community of the Mississippi Gulf Coast throughout her life. She was a dedicated lifelong member of Fernwood Baptist Church, where she was baptized, participated in fellowship, sang in the choir, helped in the kitchen, and made beautiful flower arrangements and decorations for the church. Martha served in the Mississippi Homemaker Volunteers of Gulfport for over 60 years and held several offices throughout the years, including President of the organization. She was also an officer for the Ladies Auxillary of the Mississippi Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association from the 1960s to 1980s. She was a homemaker through and through. She enjoyed sewing clothes for her family, crocheting baby blankets, needlework, and canning. There wasn’t a craft that she couldn’t do, and she did them all well. She loved to garden, growing flowers and vegetables, and sold tomatoes she had raised with her husband from the garage of their home. She was most often found in her kitchen cooking delicious meals with love for her family and friends. She always made sure that you never left her house hungry. In her later years, you could often find her fishing in her ponds at home or reading cookbooks. She will be remembered for her unwavering faith, her love and support for her family, wisdom, strength, resilience, and homemade biscuits.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Homer Martin and Ida Mae Martin; her brothers, Jerry Martin and Samuel Martin; and her husband of almost 63 years and love of her life, Freddie Leuenberger.

She was survived by her sister, brother, one step son, two sons, one daughter, and their children; her sister, Virginia (Jenny) Martin Webb; brother, Homer Martin; her children and grandchildren, Freddie (Gloria) Leuenberger and Freddie Wayne and Lindsay Allen, Ernie (Laura) Leuenberger and Eric (Andrea), Bryan (Hannah), and Joshua (Karen), Danny (Eula) Leuenberger and step-children, Michael (Vanessa) McNear, Christie (Alex) Soto, Cynthia Alford, and Cari Alford Chandler; Tammie Leuenberger Jauregui and Justin (Elizabeth) Jauregui, Jessica Helen Hensley, and Theresa Olivia Hensley. Her grandchildren gave her seventeen great-grandchildren. She also leaves Rusty Tisdale and Leslie Slade who she referred to as sons.

Services will be held at Fernwood Baptist Church on Monday, December 30, 2024. Visitation will start at 10:00am with service at 11:00am. Burial will follow at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Fernwood Baptist Church, 2307 East Pass Road, Gulfport, Mississippi 39507.

Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Martha M. Martin Leuenberger.