Vivian Martin, King's Garden Co-Founder

Books, students and a commitment to Christian ministry: those were some of the major forces in the life of Vivian Martin, honored in a memorial service in Edmonds on Thursday.

Mrs. Martin, who with her late husband founded King's Garden, now called CRISTA Ministries, died Monday at the age of 85.

A native of Lamar, Colo., Mrs. Martin married A.B. "Mike" Martin on Nov. 25, 1926. The two founded King's Garden in 1949 as a ministry to troubled teenagers.

The project grew into seven different ministries including King's Schools, CRISTA Broadcasting, CRISTA Senior Ministries and World Concern.

Mrs. Martin, a secretary by training, was involved in all aspects of the work and was librarian for the King's Garden grade school and for Esperance Baptist Church in Edmonds, where she was a longtime member.

The Martins also helped establish several Christian schools in the Philippines.

Mrs. Martin's survivors include by a daughter, Joyce Brown of Indianola, Kitsap County; two sons, Curtis and S. Michael Martin of Seattle; and a foster daughter, Joanne Luke of Moses Lake.

The family says memorials may be made to the Vivian Martin Community Center in care of CRISTA Ministries, 19303 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle, 98133.