Mary Jane “Boots” Martin, 88 of Key West, Iowa passed away on Saturday, June 28th, 2025 at River Bend Assisted Living in Cascade, Iowa.

Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road with a wake service to be held at 3:45 p.m. Additional visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 Wednesday July 2, 2025, at Saint Joseph Key West with Msgr. Thomas Toale officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Boots was born on February 16, 1937, in Key West, IA, the daughter of Clem and Regina (Shannon) Welsh. She attended Saint Joseph Key West Grade School and later graduated from the Visitation Academy in 1955. On December 1, 1956, she married William Francis “Frank” Martin at Saint Joseph Catholic Church and together they shared 68 years together.

Along with raising her family she worked for several Dubuque businesses doing book work including the Oakland Farms Dairy and Merri-Mac Distributing. She and Frank enjoyed dancing together with the Gold Rush Square Dancers, and their trip to Alaska in the RV. She also enjoyed her flower garden, doing crafts and quilting, and woodworking.

She is survived by her husband Frank; her three sons: Terrance (Brenda), Brian (Linda), and Keith (Ruth) Martin; her son-in-law Gerald (Bobbie) Scherrman; her grandchildren: Jennifer (Austin Monaghan) Martin, Daniel (Katherine) Martin, David (fiancé Ali) Martin, William (Marti) Martin, Samuel (fiancé Shelby) Martin, Zachary Martin, Justin (Kassi) Scherrman, Jacob (Ashley) Scherrman, Adam Hoffman and Ashley Carey; great grandchildren: Chloe and Ella Scherrman, Tel Martin, Case Martin, Sayven and Crue Spidle, and one more on the way.

She is also survived by her sister Carolyn (Carl) Moyer; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Margie Welsh, Betty Payne, Rose Mary Kremer, Raymond “Loras” and Josephine Martin and Charlie and Donna Martin.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter Cynthia Jean Scherrman on July 28, 1996; a granddaughter Jessica Martin; her sister Geraldine (Paul) Ryan and her brother Donald Welsh. Her father and mother-in-law Mike and Elizabeth Martin, along with Jack Payne, Louie Martin, John and Joan Martin, and  Earl “Pete” Kremer, her niece Kenna Payne, and her nephew Kevin Kremer.

The family would like to thank the staff at River Bend along with Hospice of Dubuque for all the care they have given to Boots.