Caroline Sue Martin's Obituary
Caroline Sue Martin left us Friday July 8, 2022 in Covington LA. Daughter of Frederick Rahm Wefelmeyer and Marylyn Jane (Kranz) Wefelmeyer, born November 16, 1959 in Gencoe, MN. Beloved wife of Louis Norbert Martin for 30 years and stepmother to his son Louis Andrew (Ayme) Martin, Carrie was surprisingly stricken with a relentless terminal diagnosis, yet near the end still hoped to fulfill at least a few of her commitments to one more hooking workshop, another flower show, or a charitable fundraiser, more music, more laughter, more color, more life. Carrie is survived by both parents, her brothers Frederick ‘Fritz’ (Cindy) and Jeffery (Nancy Ostman) Weflmeyer, her sister Ann (John) Myers, her sister-in-law Penny (Terry) Demenge, and is predeceased by brother Paul Wefelmeyer. Carrie leaves nieces and nephews Annisha (Jeremy) Fortune, Guy (Sarah) Wefelmeyer, Morgan and Paul Wefelmeyer, Maggie and Abby Myers, and great nieces and nephew Kyla Fortune and Ava, Gabe, and Gracie Wefelmeyer.
Growing up in Cloquet MN, Carrie exposed a soft spot for critters, raising mallard ducklings and adopting cats and dogs. She was very active in 4-H becoming an accomplished seamstress, working and showing her horses, and assuming a leading role in the up-and-coming club, which gave early indication of her lifelong propensity for leadership. She became a talented quilt-maker, once winning a trip to the MN State Fair with one of her baby quilts. As a youngster while her brothers played hockey she was expected to assist in keeping the rooms of the family funeral home up to a high standard as well as detailing the funeral vehicles, learning to polish the inner windshield with newsprint to prevent streaking and fogging. Her long-term employment as car-hop at the A & W Root Beer shop and frequent baby-sitting gigs predicted her future desire for financial independence. Carrie graduated from Cathedral High School In Duluth MN commuting from Cloquet to accompany her brother Paul to a special program. She earned degrees in fashion design and merchandising from Brooks School of Design in Long Beach, CA where her friend Meme Barrett served as her model, wearing the period costume Carrie designed for her graduation project, in the runway show, a very large bright-light community event attended by industry fashion buyers. One of her instructors recruited her to become a milliner in her Long Beach, CA shop, making all types of hats from a variety of materials, and an original dressmaker designing for the wedding market, requiring completion of wedding and bridesmaid gowns by an inflexible deadline, training her for maximum performance under extreme pressure. An interesting customer was “Sylvester the Jester”, a comedic Magician for whom she designed the trick hats and compartmentalized jackets required for his illusions, and who once was dropped for a time from the lineup at the Magic Castle due to a few complaints about his “earwax routine”. She also designed and made vintage styled suits and hats worn by members of the “Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets” blues band, Carrie and Louis had only one chance to meet while he was on sabbatical leave doing molecular biology research at Cal Tech in Pasadena CA when she accompanied the band to a venue they had never played before and would never play again. She wore a tasteful vintage dress, with bright red lipstick and a well-matched vintage hat with feather decoration. He wore jeans and a bike shop jacket later determined to be meant for a woman due to its zipper orientation. While on a walk together to escape the stuffy barroom, she would not hold his hand, but her phone number somehow was written with lipstick on a paper napkin, which somehow was not thrown away. Throughout their marriage, Carrie’s interests required frequent long-distance driving trips. She spent several years showing her bedlington terriers at shows throughout the south and east, finishing championships with 3 dogs in succession, the last being invited to the prestigious Westminster show in New York. Her interests in plants, flowers, and designing led her to join the Covington Garden club where she cultivated and was mentored by the leading floral designers. Surprisingly, as an outsider, she rapidly ascended to the presidency due to her excellent capacity for floral design, organizational ability, ideas for fund raising, and her enjoyment of the personal interactions and opportunity for civic service. During her tenure as president she embraced the annual State Cleanest City Contest, visiting all businesses along the judging route exhorting them to make efforts to clean up litter in their areas. She organized and supported volunteer groups to make sweeps to pick up, bag, and remove roadside litter wherever problems existed. One year Covington became the runner-up for the title, the next year Covington was judged the Cleanest City of its size in the state for the first and only time. In the years after the big win Carrie became a Cleanest City Judge, visiting cities around the state comparing their efforts and making recommendations for their improvement. During her tenure the club raised money by raffles and sales and contributed to construction of the Gazebo at the foot of Columbia Street overlooking the slope down to the river landing. The club also participated in the design, construction and planting of the gardens on the slope leading down to the Landing concert area. In addition the club developed and maintained the Triangle Park adjoining the current Covington Trailhead. Her associations around the state resulted in her election as Director of the District 6 grouping of clubs. Her desire for a more active floral design group led her to join the Metairie Ridge Garden Club, where she also was chosen as President. She became president of the New Orleans judges Council and fought to be allowed to hold local Flower Show Judges Schools so that local women could attain judging status without expensive travel to distant schools. She also served as president of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation. Carrie ultimately became a 5-star member attaining Master status in flower show judging, Landscape Design, Garden Studies, and Environmental Studies. She led many flower shows for these organizations as well as the Deep South Convention. Carrie’s rug hooking activities also became a lifelong passion. She was the catalyst for bringing many people together who never would have met otherwise. She obtained training in both major rug-hooking organizations. She was a McGown certified traditional rug hooking instructor. She was the education chairman for the Association of Traditional Hooking Artists (ATHA) for 4 years. She led her Wool Rich Cash Poor Guild in holding the 2007 ATHA National Biennial in New Orleans, one of the first conventions held before New Orleans had fully recovered from the 2005 Hurricane Katrina. To do so her way she fought the national oversight committee on several issues. She insisted traditional New Orleans cuisine should be included in the food plan at some extra expense. She also faced some opposition on use of Mardi Gras themes, on allowing attendees to have a market to sell their own hand made items, on how the rug show should be staged. Having achieved her way, the New Orleans Biennial was judged to be among the best ever held. At the San Antonio Biennial Carrie was asked to oversee the rug exhibit. Carrie developed a concept of destination rug hooking workshops, organizing annual retreats in New Orleans, Santa Fe, Savannah, Natchez, Vicksburg, and Cody. She taught at many of the biennials 2007 through 2020. She dyed wool for special tints and effects and for her trademark “Martin Magic” background use. She vended wool supplies and taught in Texas, Louisiana. Florida, California, S Dakota, New Mexico Georgia, Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, New York, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon, Montana, Washington, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. She led the Wool Rich Cash Poor guild, owned her own company named One Rug Two Rug, taught classes in her home and wrote articles for ATHA and Rug Hooking Magazines. Carrie was a great, cook, whistler, lover, friend, collector, and made 15 quilts during the first covid shutdown.
Relatives and friends are invited to a memorial mass held at St Peter’s Church, 129 E 19th Avenue, Covington, LA 70433 at 12:00 noon on August 9, 2022 followed by a memorial reception at The Firehouse, 321 N. Theard Street, Covington, LA 70433. In lieu of flowers, please give gifts to charities or perform random kindnesses. Please Share a Memory on the Tribute Wall at www.ejfieldingfh.com
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