SALINA — Martha Bertha Peschka, 89, passed away Thursday, Aug. 3rd, 2017. Martha was born in Ransom on Feb. 9, 1928, a daughter of the late Theresia (Weber) and Joseph Flax. On March 27, 1950, Martha married Francis J. Peschka in Great Bend. While living in Great Bend she was a house painter. She worked in food service for USD 305 and volunteered many hours at the Salina Food Bank. Martha and Francis adopted two daughters and took in many foster children. Francis preceded her in death on Sept. 23, 1998. She and her husband received the JCPenney Volunteer of the Year for the Bread Ministry.

Martha was a member of RSVP and St. Mary’s Catholic Church Salina.
Survivors include two daughters, Loretta Brittain (Leon), of Great Bend, and Cheryl Gulickson, of Great Bend; sisters, Sr. Doris Marie Flax, of Ellis, and Catherine O’Hare, of Hometown, Ill.; grandchildren, Adrian Brittain, of Canon City, Colo., Austin Brittain (Yuki), of Sasebo, Japan, and Sarah Gulickson, of Tucson, Ariz.; and great-grandchildren, Gage Gulickson, of Tucson, Ariz., and Trinity and Amanda Brittain of Sasebo, Japan. Martha is preceded in death by her husband, Francis Peschka; sister, Mary Prather; brothers, Joseph, Albert, Francis, George, John, Paul, and Leonard Flax.

Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 7, at Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home in Salina with family present from 5–7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Salina with Fr. Luke Thielen officiating. Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at Great Bend Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 230 E. Cloud, Salina, KS 67401. For more information or to send an online condolence, visit www.carlsonfh.net or on Facebook.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home**
500 S. Ohio
Salina, KS 67401
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Aug. 6, 2017