Marion Martin Garth was born May 21, 1922, to Dennis and Leonora Martin in Bluefields, the capital of the thriving South Caribbean Autonomous Region on Central America’s east coast. She and her five brothers and four sisters, three of whom are still alive, grew up in Nicaragua, the largest country in Central America. Between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Nicaragua is known for its dramatic terrain of lakes, volcanoes, mountains, fine-timber rainforests, and exotic wildlife.
On November 23, 1942, Marion wed Michael A. Garth, an able captain who once piloted a ship from Florida down the South American coast. They moved to Panama (meaning “abundance of fish, trees, and butterflies”), a snaking isthmus separating the North American and South American continents that creates the only place on Earth where one sees the sun rising in the west and setting in the east. There, Michael serviced the Panama Canal and maneuvered ships.
Marion and Michael had five children: Verna Garth Baker; Agustin Garth, Dennis Garth (deceased), Marva “Julie” Garth, and Norma Garth Powell. In 1958 an evangelistic series came to their town. Michael was skeptical at first, but praise God, the Holy Spirit was at work. The whole family was baptized at the same time—in a river!
God next led this faithful couple to the United States, where Michael became a machinist. The family settled in South Lancaster, Mass., home of Atlantic Union College of Seventh-day Adventists. Tropical scenes gave way to New England’s spectacular seasons! In addition to professional pursuits, Michael served as a lay pastor and in other Christian outreach. For her part, Marion cared for her family and provided geriatric nurse care in her community, working at a nursing home and as a psychiatric nurse and as a pastor’s home-caretaker. She invited people to come to church and sometimes visited at their homes.
Their daughter Verna and her husband, Chester Baker, moved from San Diego, Calif., to Keene, Tex., in 1988 when Baker accepted a position teaching business at Southwestern Adventist University. A few years later, Michael and Marion Garth left Massachusetts and joined the Bakers in Keene, purchasing a house nearby. Energetic as always, they quickly contributed to community well-being. Sadly, Michael Garth passed away Feb. 1, 2005. Born in Tasbapouni, Nicaragua, on Feb. 21, 1921, he rests in Jesus at Keene Pioneer Memorial Park, having praised and served his Maker in two hemispheres.
Today, Marion Garth, a member of the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church in Keene, Tex., enjoys sewing, crossword puzzles, painting, scrapbooking, studying her Bible, and pursuing spiritual growth. A woman of courage, her favorite text is Psalm 27:1 NLT: “The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger—so why should I tremble?”
Marion’s spiritual advice to you? “Invite someone to church!”
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Kitty Evans, a freelance writer based in Texas, enjoys sharing people’s stories. She is currently writing about centenarians in the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. If you know a member of the Texas Conference who is 100 years old or older, please email news@txsda.org.
