Martha Vest Hunt

Martha Vest Hunt, 87, passed away on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at her home in Ottumwa.

Visitation for Martha will be held on Sunday, September 14, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Private graveside service will take place at a later time. Memorials may be directed to Care Initiatives Hospice in Albia. For more information or to send a condolence, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Martha and her family.

Martha was born on January 4, 1938, in Shenandoah, Iowa to William Eskew and Grace Nordyke Eskew. She was raised on a farm and attended country school and graduated from Shenandoah High School in 1956. Martha was a church secretary in Des Moines for 10 years, leaving for Marshalltown to marry Karl Vest where she lived for 22 years. She was a Sunday School teacher, school volunteer, preschool teacher and Hospice volunteer. Martha earned her Early Childhood Degree after Karl’s death in 1993.

Fairfield, Iowa became her home when she and Darrell Hunt married on August 5, 1995. They lived on an acreage for 22 years before moving to Ottumwa. While there, she taught in Head Start and was a Hospice volunteer. After retiring she took up canvas painting, making many greeting cards and yard flags. She was not famous nor wealthy, but Jesus Christ has been her Savior for over 70 years. Martha was an avid student in God’s Word.

Martha is survived by Darrell; son’s: Jeffrey (Brenda) and David (Ann) along with five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

-lovingly written by the family