Martin C. Springer, 83, passed away on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, of natural causes at the Big Sandy Medical Center. Cremation has taken place, and Rosary services will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 24, 2016, at St. Mary Margaret's Catholic Church in Big Sandy. Memorial Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 25, 2016, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church in Havre, with Father Pete Guthneck officiating. Martin's family has requested that memorial donations be made in his name to the Big Sandy Medical Center, the 4-H Chuckwagon, or to the Havre Youth Baseball Association. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Please visit Martin's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for his family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.
Martin was born on March 23, 1933, in Havre to Claude and Blanche (Bjertnes) Springer. He was raised on the family farm north of Havre, attending the Grain Belt School through 8th grade. He worked several jobs over the next several years, and entered the US Army in 1954. He served until his honorable discharge in 1956, and then returned home and worked as a farm and ranch hand around the area. Martin met Lorna Faber during her years of teaching at the Grain Belt School where he was the mouse killer, and the couple married in 1961. They made their home in Gildford from 1961 through 1971, where he worked for Jack and Vera Swinney on their farm and at the PV Station in Gildford. Martin and Lorna moved to Big Sandy in 1971, where Martin worked for the Big Sandy Schools as a custodian, and as a salesman for Nordling & Tweeten and for Tilleman Motor Company. He retired from Tilleman's in 1995, and Martin and Lorna moved to Havre in 2002 to be closer to their grandchildren.
Martin was a very social man who loved to tease his friends and family. He was very supportive of his kids and grandkids in all the activities in which they were involved. He enjoyed fishing and watching television, especially westerns and game shows; and especially enjoyed puttering at the Faber Ranch and attending auction sales. So long as their health permitted, both Lorna and Martin loved to travel to visit their son Reggie, wherever he lived.
Martin was preceded in death by his wife Lorna in 2005; his parents Claude and Blanche Springer; his brothers, Vurl (Julia) Springer, Glen (Beryl) Springer, Clyde (Ruth) Springer, Ruel Springer, Cliff (Katie) Springer, Lynn Springer, and Fred (Betty) Springer; his sisters Beulah (Ernie) Brown, Vera (Jack) Swinney, Delores (Joe) Allyn, and Eva McIntosh; his brother-in-law Gilbert Anderson; and his nieces and nephews, Bob Swinney, Alan Springer, Linda Swinney, Ted and Timmy Knudsen, and Jean Kinderman.
He is survived by his children, Reginald (Victoria) Springer of Long Meadow, MA, and Marcella (Jon) Holden of Havre; his two grandsons, Nolan and Nathan Holden of Havre; his sisters, Betty Anderson of Harlem and Ila Knudsen of Cranbrook, British Columbia; his sister-in-law Sharon Bellar; his brothers-in-law, Nick (Pat) Faber of Cleveland, MT, and Stu (Carol) McIntosh; and many nieces and nephews.
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