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Dec. 29, 1929-Nov. 24, 2021
Pearl Elaine (Martin)
Willman, 91, passed away
on Wednesday, November
24, 2021. Born December
29, 1929, she was the
fourth of eight children of
the late Charles & Esther
(Anderson) Martin. Her
early years were spent on
the family's rural farm
outside of Rock Lake,
North Dakota (ND) where
she graduated from Rock
Lake School in 1947 as
Valedictorian. Pearl
earned her teaching certi-
ficate from Minot State
Teachers College in 1949
and accepted her first
teaching contract in her
home town. Her first class
was over 40 students in-
cluding her youngest
brother, Dennis, who
made sure to address her
as "Miss Martin" at
school. Her next teaching
contract was in Crosby,
ND where she met her fu-
ture husband, Glenn
Robert Willman, as he
drove the bus route she
took to go home to visit.
After a 3-year courtship
they married in June
1952. In 1958, when
Glenn became an Agent
for Greyhound Bus Lines,
the couple moved to Hele-
na, Montana, where their
daughter Victoria (Vicki),
was born. In 1960, the
family moved to
Bismarck, ND. Pearl com-
pleted her Bachelor of
Science degree in Elemen-
tary Education from
Minot in 1967. After 40
years as an early child-
hood educator, Pearl re-
tired from Bismarck Pub-
lic Schools in 1991. As it
was a family business,
Pearl also spent many
weeknight evenings and
weekends helping her
husband Glenn manage
Bismarck's Greyhound
bus terminal. Pearl loved
to bake: apple pies,
brownies with nuts, bana-
na and cranberry breads,
and she had a slew of
favorite Xmas cookie and
bar recipes. Her signature
side dish was German po-
tato salad made from
scratch. During the sum-
mer months (and in her
retirement) she religiously
followed "Days of our
Lives" and enjoyed many
hours working in her
flower beds. In the winter
months, she embroidered
numerous sets of kitchen
towels and baby an-
nouncements which she
gave as gifts. Pearl partici-
pated in the monthly
breakfast gatherings of the
Roosevelt Retired Teach-
ers. Pearl stayed in touch
with many family
members and friends and
enjoyed traveling to fami-
ly reunions and celebra-
tions. In 2012, Pearl
moved to Hagerstown to
live with her daughter
and family. She attended
the concerts and events of
the Maryland Symphony
Orchestra; the plays and
events of the Contem-
porary American Theater
Festival; and Vicki's per-
formances with the
Frederick Symphony
Orchestra. Pearl was an
active member of Zion
Lutheran Church in
Bismarck for 52 years un-
til she moved to Mary-
land. At Zion, she partici-
pated in Bible study and
quilting groups; served as
secretary and on the pro-
gram and funeral commit-
tees of the Lutheran
Women's Missionary
League (LWML) auxiliary.
In 2012, she became a
member of Concordia
Lutheran Church-LCMS
in Hagerstown and joined
Concordia's LWML
chapter. In lieu of
flowers, the family sug-
gests a memorial contri-
bution in Pearl's name to
one of the following: The
Pearl Willman Education
Fund at the Contemporary
American Theater Fes-
tival, PO Box 429,
Shepherdstown, WV
25443, which will support
the stipend of a Festival
Intern each season;
LWML at Zion Lutheran
Church, 413 Ave D East,
Bismarck, ND 58501;
LWML at Concordia Luth-
eran Church in Hagers-
town, MD 21740; or Hos-
pice of Washington Coun-
ty, 747 Northern Ave,
Hagerstown, MD 21740.
Pearl is survived by her
daughter, Vicki (Hagers-
town); daughters-in-law,
Sue Wert (Hagerstown),
and Sandi Willman (Rock-
ford, IA); grand-dog, Mat-
tie; brothers, Marvin
(Rock Lake, ND) and Eu-
gene (Kent, WA);
sisters-in-law, Theresa
Martin (Grand Forks, ND),
and Carol Martin (Haw-
ley, MN); grandchildren,
Amy Noss, Greg Willman,
Brad Willman, their
spouses and children; and
by numerous nephews,
nieces, and many special
life-long family friends.
She was preceded in
death by her parents; her
husband of just over 54
years, Glenn; stepson,
Samuel Keith Willman;
sisters, Laila Swenson,
Leila Kaleva Peterson, and
Celia Johnsrud and their
husbands; brothers, Mil-
ton and Dennis;
grand-dog, Scooter; her
husband's brothers, sis-
ters, and their spouses,
and by several nephews,
nieces, and many life-long
friends. A visitation, fun-
eral service, and burial
will be planned to return
Pearl to North Dakota in
late spring 2022. Online
condolences may be made
at: www.minnichfh.com