Donna Fay Martin

Las Vegas, Nevada/Salina, Utah - Donna Fay Rasmussen Martin, 94, passed away in her Las Vegas home on August 31, 2021, after a long and vibrant life. She will be greatly missed. She was the youngest of seven children born to Ira Alvin and Dagmar Larsen Rasmussen on July 13, 1927, in Salina, Utah. Throughout her life, Donna gained strength through adversity. Starting at the young age of 7 she was diagnosed with a heart condition that may have confined her to a wheelchair. Her testimony and commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ started taking shape at that time when she received a priesthood blessing from her father and the healing hand of God removed the possibility that she would live life in a wheelchair. Donna’s faith and strength were again tested at the age of 13 when her leg was amputated above the knee due to complications caused by osteomyelitis. After the amputation, her mother was told by doctors that she would not survive the complications of the surgery. She was again blessed by the healing power of God. This time, she was in Salt Lake City and received a priesthood blessing from Elder Charles A. Callus, an Apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After the blessing, she fully recovered and was blessed with a long life throughout which she blessed others. Donna never let adversity get her down. She had absolute faith that with God’s help, she could do anything. After completing High School, Donna took a job with Mountain Bell while keeping her desire to serve a mission at the forefront of her life’s goals. Despite being repeatedly told that she could not serve a mission due to her amputation, she did not accept that a mission was not a possibility, and she submitted the necessary application to serve. Following an interview with Elder Bruce R. McConkie, she was called to the Central Atlantic States Mission. After her mission, she returned to Mountain Bell as an operator and attended BYU. During her time in Provo Utah, she renewed a longtime acquaintance with Paul LaMar Martin. They were married on October 5, 1953, in the Manti Temple. Donna helped Paul finish school by working full time, putting her own education on hold, and in June 1957 he graduated, and he began working for the Church Education Department (CES) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Together they moved forward with faith and raised a family of 5 children. Each of their children married resulting in sixteen grandchildren and twenty-seven great-grandchildren. They were absolutely committed to living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and kept their testimony of the Gospel at the forefront of their lives and always shared it with others through their words and examples. Donna is survived by her sister Shirley Valeen Rasmussen Probert, sons LaMar Kay Martin, Boyd David Martin, daughter Paula Fay Martin Mitchell, and son John Eric Martin. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Paul LaMar Martin, her daughter Michelle Martin Carpenter, her Mother & Father, and her siblings Bernice Rasmussen Mickelson, Leath Alvin Rasmussen, Maurice Farrel Rasmussen, sister Virginia D Rasmussen Dickert, and Ray Ira Rasmussen. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 4, 2021 at 12 Noon in the Salina Creek LDS Ward Chapel, 85 South 100 East in Salina. Friends may call for viewing at the Springer Turner Funeral Home in Salina, Saturday morning from 10:00 to 11:30 prior to the services. Burial will be in the Salina Eastside Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.