INDIANAPOLIS
Martha Lee Nichols Allen Hulet died peacefully at Hoosier Village in Indianapolis, in the early morning Wednesday, May 16, 2018, surrounded by loved ones.
A memorial service was conducted May 20 at Hoosier Village Chapel in Indianapolis.
She is survived by her children, Maribeth Allen of Evanston, IL, Janet L. Allen (Joel Grynheim) of Indianapolis, and J. Jay Allen (Cathleen Fogler-Allen) of Bloomington, IL; grandchildren, Matthew C. Hulet, William W. Strehlow, Leah K. Grynheim, Nira N. Grynheim, E. Evan Allen, K. Mitchell Allen; and great-grandchild, Dylan Hulet.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Mary Nichols Story; her first husband, William W. Allen; her second husband, Richard E. Hulet; and her grandson, Allen Q. Strehlow.
Martha was born July 17, 1926 in Paris, Illinois, the younger daughter of Jeptha (Jay) Nichols and Leta Evelyn Coburn Nichols.
Martha and her sister, Mary, grew up surrounded by animals. Their father was a veterinarian and their mother bred dogs. The sisters were married in a double ceremony in 1951. Martha’s three children were born during her first marriage; that relationship ended in divorce. She married Richard Hulet in 1976 and enjoyed 35 years with him before his death in 2011.
Martha attended DePauw University, and Purdue University during WWII, but finished her undergraduate degree in elementary library science at Illinois State University after her children were born. She was a lifelong outdoor enthusiast and exerciser, teaching swimming as a young adult and enjoying hiking, water aerobics and horseback riding. She was also an avid reader and enjoyed a career as an elementary school librarian and “story lady” in the Normal, IL school system.
Martha was a devoted and enthusiastic traveler, enjoying trips across the United States with her children and grandchildren, as well as many European adventures with her second husband. She enjoyed arts of all kinds, particularly performing arts, and held a special place in her heart for dance, which she pursued as a teenager. She was a gifted hostess and enjoyed entertaining friends and family at home, particularly in their country home in Brown County.
Martha never lost her affection for animals and her last years were made happier by the companionship of dogs, both those belonging to her children and therapy dogs.
The family would like to thank the remarkable staff at Hoosier Village who made Martha’s last 16 months rich with companionship and care. As well, thanks go to family friend and sister, Lisa Elliot, whose care for Martha over the past seven years created a uniquely deep family relationship filled with love and sharing.
Donations in Martha Hulet’s memory can be made to Heifer International, One World Ave., Little Rock, AR 72202 or online at heifer.org. It is a philanthropy for which she shared a great passion to help people around the world create sustainable lives.
Arrangements were with Crown Hill Funeral Home in Indianapolis.
