Martha Mary (Blazek) Buresh, 89, of Cedar Rapids, died Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at Mercy Medical Center.  Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, October 17 at First Presbyterian Church, near Ely with Rev. Heather Hayes presiding.   Burial will follow in Buresh Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids, temporarily located at 3100 F Avenue NW and for an hour prior to services Friday at the church.

Martha was born January 27, 1919 in rural Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Edward and Ludmilla (Popelka) Blazek.  She married Edwin W. Buresh on June 29, 1937 at the manse of the First Presbyterian Church, near Ely, where she and her family have been faithful members all of their lives.  Martha loved life and loved children, especially her own.  She was proud to teach them of her and her husband's full Czech heritage.  Martha lived by her mother's mottos of, "be kind to everyone" and, "it takes less muscles to smile than it does to frown."  She taught that lesson to all around her.  Martha was an excellent cook and fantastic kolache baker who prepared and served lunch to over 125 employees of the People's Bank (Norwest Bank) in Cedar Rapids on a daily basis for many years.  Prior to that she delighted the deli customers of the Me-Too food stores and worked at her husband's side on their Century farm.

She was a loving Sunday School teacher for over 35 years, a 4-H leader, Farm Bureau Women's and College Circle Club member, member of the church's Johanna Society, served as ruling elder of her church and on many church committees, she received an award from the Presbytery of East Iowa, she was a volunteer at the College Community School district and had preserved the original Prairie school on the farm.

Martha is survived by her children, Dale (Betty) Buresh, Dennis (Mary Ann) Buresh and Diane (Jeff) Reist all of rural Cedar Rapids; eight grandchildren, Scott (Cindy) Buresh of Utah, Randy (Rachel) Buresh of rural Cedar Rapids, Brian Buresh of Cedar Rapids, Brad (Cheri) Buresh of Walford, Brenda (David) Lindemann of Solon, Dawn (Mike) DeMean of Anamosa, and Lauren and Hailee Reist of rural Cedar Rapids; 15 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren; her sister Elizabeth Bedell; and 9 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 62 ½ years, Edwin Buresh; and her eldest son Richard and his wife Eutona Buresh.

Memorials may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church, near Ely.