In Loving Memory

Martha Jean Kassa

Martha Jean Kassa, known as Marty, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on October 31, 2023, at Rockwood at Whitworth Retirement Community in Spokane, WA at age79. Marty was born on August 27, 1944, in Inglewood, CA to the late Milan and Anna McMains.

Marty was born in southern California where she lived and attended school and church with her parents and sister. After graduating high school, she attended junior college and began work as a telephone operator with Pacific Northwest Bell. In 1965 she met Richard "Dick" Kassa who worked as a lineman at the same company/ She married her sweetheart Dick on June 24, 1967 in Manhattan Beach, CA. They honeymooned up the Pacific Coast into Spokane to meet the rest of the Kassa family. They spent time touring the rural areas surrounding Spokane and ventured to Chewelah. She instantly had a love for the area and claimed that it would one day be home. They transferred with Pacific Northwest Bell to Spokane in 1967. Marty continued to work for the phone company after the birth of their first child Gina in 1969. In 1971, after the birth of their second child Dan, she decided to leave her career to become a homemaker. Chewelah was still the ultimate goal.  Dick transferred with the phone company to Chewelah and after a short time they were able to acquire what they always desired, the ranch on Farm to Market Road.  After she gave birth to their third child, Amy, they began to build their first home on the ranch. Her husband Dick worked away from home often and Marty took care of the children and the ranch. Having been born and raised a "city girl" in Los Angels, watching Gene Autry and Dale Evans on tv, Marty grew up with dreams of one day becoming a cowgirl. Marty embraced life on the farm and was quick to learn how to care for her chickens and other farm animals. She could be found wearing her signature "red coat" and fur hat in the barn selling hay.

Marty loved the Lord and would be up before the kids so she could spend time reading her Bible.  Her heart was generous, and she was always looking for a way to give,

which moved her to open her home to 17 foster children over the years.  Isaac and Stephanie would become the two final Kassa children to complete her family.

Art was her talent. She was skilled in crochet, needlework, and native beadwork, and was a talented seamstress and painter. One of her favorite past times was preparing for the upcoming fair season.  She loved to enter the fairs in Valley, Colville and Spokane and was awarded multiple Grand Championship ribbons for her projects.  Marty loved to share her gift with others. She crocheted hundreds of Afghans to donate to St Joseph Long Term Care, the VA nursing homes, and Spokane Missions. Marty taught her children her skills and shared her vast knowledge in the Women's Place Newsletter and as a reporter for Chewelah Independent. Later in life, she and her husband were able to spend 12 years as snowbirds in Surprise, Arizona where Marty truly enjoyed yard sales and estate sales. She was an enthusiastic collector of antiques and was always on the hunt for her next treasure. Her beautiful gifts, talents and kind heart will be greatly missed by her family and community.

Marty was preceded in death by her parents Milan and Anna McMains, loving husband Richard "Dick" Kassa 2020, sister, Anna Rae Burke, son in law, Mike Day.

She is survived by her children, Gina Day Rennie (Paul), Dan Kassa (Naching), Amy Elliott (Kip), Isaac Kassa, Stephanie Bailey (Curtis). Grand Children, Tara McCanna, Mike Day, Calli Lou Girnus, Charlie Elliott, Joshua Kassa, Stephya Kassa, Emmit Kassa, Morissa Kassa, Gavin Bailey.  14 great grandchildren, multiple brother and sisters in law, nieces, nephews and cherished extended family.