The Link to view the recorded service: https://youtu.be/4MstwDUBNN4

Martha Demke Neuharth, 89 of Breckenridge, MN formerly of Goodrich, ND, died Saturday, August 24, 2024, at a Breckenridge Care Center.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, August 29, 2024 at First Baptist Church in Goodrich with burial following in the Goodrich City Cemetery.  Visitation will be Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Hertz Funeral Home, Harvey, ND.  The service will be recorded and viewing link uploaded to this webpage.

Martha was born on May 12, 1935 at home near Mitchell, SD. She was the daughter of Pastor William S. and Alice May (Pooley) Brown. In 1941 the family moved to Fort Clark, ND and in 1945 to Regent, ND.  Martha attended school in Regent and helped her dad with custodial duties after school.  They lived in numerous communities after the Regent parsonage was destroyed by a fire before settling in Tuttle, ND.  She graduated from high school there.

Martha married Cecil Demke on June 7, 1953 at Tuttle.  They lived in Goodrich and operated a farm and dairy operation.  Martha ran the dairy operation for many years with help from their children.  Cecil died on October 24, 1998 after being ill for several years. After forty years Martha retired from the dairy and turned it over to her sons Mark and David.

Martha married Erwin Neuharth on May 19, 2001.  They lived in Goodrich where she continued being the Goodrich City Librarian for 25 years. They traveled extensively, mostly on bus tours.  They went to Washington, DC, The Calgary Stampede, Nashville and several trips to Branson, with many stops in between. They also vacationed in Hawaii and visited Erwin's daughter Jeanette in the Phoenix area.  Erwin died on June 1, 2020.

Martha and Erwin would attend First Baptist Church, where she was a member since 1970 and his Peace Lutheran Church both in Goodrich every Sunday. She was the daughter of a Nazarene minister and her whole life was centered around God and her church.  Martha was a NASCAR fan with her favorite drivers being Richard Petty and Buddy Baker.  More recently she loved Su-Do-Ku puzzles.  She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Baptist Women's Missionary Fellowship, Up and Coming homemakers club, past Sunday school teacher and held offices in several women's groups.  She also enjoyed gardening, being with family especially the grandchildren.

Martha is survived by five children; Robert (Brenda) Demke of Minot, Mark (Jan), David (Julie) all of Goodrich; John (Laurel) of Wahpeton; Laura and Doug Strutz of Great Bend, ND; 12 grandchildren;16 great-grandchildren; stepchildren, Gary (Vicki) Neuharth of Bismarck, Douglas (Susan) Neuharth of Hurdsfield and Jeanette Rieder of Tempe, AZ; 6 step grandchildren;  6 step great-grandchildren.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents; husbands Cecil and Erwin; sister Zeona Kasten; brother Arvid Brown.