dents to play the piano and to feel the joy of creating music. "Mrs. Marten" was known for her amazing patience and for encouraging her students to challenge themselves. She was a longtime member of the Iowa Music Teachers Association and worked on the piano repertoire committee for ten years. Two of her former students honored her with a brick at the Carrie Chapman Plaza of Heroines located at ISU in 1995. She was also an avid flower gardener and loved reading mysteries delivered to her at Northridge by the Ames Public Library. She enjoyed keeping up on current events and was a wonderful conversationalist. Ella will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered for her smile, her laugh and sense of humor, her thoughtfulness, her pride in her Danish heritage, a deep love of family, and her sense of compassion for others. Ella is survived by her husband Gilbert Marten, children Kai Marten, and Cynthia Marten (Dallas Thies) , and grandchildren Alec Marten, Fiona Marten, and Julian Thies (fiancé Haley Goldsmith) She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers Clifford and Harry. Memorials may be directed to the Ames Public Library. Online condolences may be directed to: www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com.