Martha Elizabeth (Yurman) Steven was born October 1st, 1919 on a family farm ten miles northwest of Chester, Montana. Her parents were Michael and Ida (Kerbes) Yurman. Martha's maternal grand-mother, Matlia Yurman, being a practicing midwife in the rural neighborhood, delivered her into the world (as well as her two sisters).
Martha was the middle daughter to the Yurmans, who were second-generation Estonian settlers in the area. As a child she attended the local Gruhman country school. Both at home and at the school, Martha and her sisters spoke Estonian prior to learning English. The girls ro...
