Martha Stoermer
Martha Kay (Ewald) Stoermer was born along with her twin sister Marcia on Feb. 25, 1947, in North Platte, Nebraska, to Hazel (Smith) Ewald and Henry Ewald. She died and passed from this life April 6, 2022, at the age of 75.
Martha grew up in Stoneham, attending grade school in New Raymer. In 1960 the family moved to Holyoke, following their father’s job with Burlington Northern Railroad. The girls completed junior high and high school in Holyoke.
Shortly after graduation in 1966, Martha met and married Emil Stoermer, and to this union their first daughter was born in 1968. In 1971, Martha became the first woman in the state of Colorado to give birth to quadruplets. Three of the girls survived, losing only one two days after birth. Martha then settled into raising her family in Holyoke.
Martha and Emil were divorced in 1987, and the children went with their father, leaving Martha with her mother. Martha then met Jim Leibbrandt, and they moved in together in the early ’90s. Jim and Martha lived as husband and wife for 30 years. Jim died in 2019, leaving Martha with only her twin sister and her sister’s husband to help and care for her.
Martha was preceded in death by her one daughter; her husband of 30 years, Jim Leibbrandt; her twin sister, Marcia Cogburn; her parents, Henry and Hazel Ewald; and Jim’s parents, George and Esther Leibbrandt.
She is survived by four daughters; stepdaughter, Machell Lovell; grandsons, Cody Lovell and Michael Lovell Jr.; nephews, Brent Peckham and wife Sherrie and Todd Peckham; and brother-in-law, Steven Cogburn.
Services were held April 18 at Baucke Funeral Chapel in Holyoke, with Pastor Al Smith officiating. Interment followed at the Holyoke Cemetery.
Baucke Funeral Home directed the service.