Faith Markham

Faith Erna Markham was born to Erwin W. Seevers and Alma L. (Werner) Seevers on June 3, 1935, at her grandparents’ house in Springfield, Illinois. Her parents were living there while her father studied at Concordia Lutheran Seminary across the street. Faith received her education at Immanuel Lutheran School and Lanphier High School. She graduated on her birthday in 1953.

Faith met Alvin Cordes during a Sunday school teachers’ meeting at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Married on June 14, 1954, they were blessed with seven children in twelve years. They lived in parsonages in Kansas, Montana, South Dakota, and Oregon. In 1969, the family moved to Blissful Acres Ranch south of Bend, Oregon, where Faith lived and flourished for 26 years. She brought up her children in the love of the Lord, fervently praying that each would live a life dedicated to Jesus.

After the marriage ended, Faith worked at the Deschutes County Library as a typist and librarian’s assistant. Later she worked in retail and volunteered at thrift stores, especially in the book and doll departments. Faith enjoyed crossword puzzles, creative writing, reading, history, photography, painting, nurturing house plants, and singing in Sweet Adeline’s chorus and in church choirs. She was an avid and creative quilter, teaching classes in the 1970s and gifting countless quilts. She served her Lord Jesus by participating in Mary-Martha Circle at church and in Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society, even serving as LWMS circuit president for a time. By God’s grace she survived three types of cancer. She was known for her smile.

July of 1976 was a transitional month. After a week of Lutheran Bible Camp, daughter Ruth and her friend, Charlene, wanted to spend more time together. Charlene’s father, John E. Markham, agreed, taking Charlene and her little sister, Joann, on a rare vacation, and then dropping them off at the Ranch, meeting Faith for the first time. His daughters were to return to Portland by bus a week later, but they called to ask if they could stay a second week. Johnny not only agreed, he said he’d pick up the girls himself—he wanted to see Faith again. A sweet courtship began, with flowers and weekly visits from Portland to Bend. John and Faith married on June 25, 1977, and were blessed with 38 years together, eighteen on the Ranch, eighteen in Sun City, Arizona, and another two in the Pacific Northwest, until the Lord called Johnny home to heaven on September 3, 2015.

Several moves then took Faith to live with or near her children in Niles, Illinois; Sleepy Eye, Hugo, and Spring Lake Park, Minnesota; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Rockford and Greenville, Michigan, where she lived out her final years. On October 23, 2024, after 89 years, 4 months, and 20 days of earthly life, God granted Faith the fullness of eternal life through faith in the world’s Savior from sin, Jesus Christ.

Faith was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, Terry and Sylvia, and many Christian friends and relatives. She is survived by her seven children and three step-children, Larry Markham, Beth (Glen) Thompson, Roc (JoAnn) Cordes, Mark (Cindy) Cordes, Charlene (Gordon) Peters, Ruth (Brownie) Schmitzer, Chris (Rachel) Cordes, Nathan (Beth Kae) Cordes, Ramona (Brian) Saatkamp, and Joann Markham, 22 grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and one step-great-grandson.

Faith loved cut flower arrangements, live plants, and gospel ministry. Memorial donations may be sent to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (11831 N Seminary Dr, Mequon WI 53092-1597; https://www.wisluthsem.org/friends/give/) or any WELS/ELS ministry.

A joyful Christian memorial is planned for 2:00 P.M. on November 6 at Christ our Savior Lutheran Church, 4610 Belding Rd NE, Rockford, MI, Rev. Timothy Gauger officiating. Visitation begins one hour before the service. Livestream will begin shortly before the service at https://www.youtube.com/live/6vI0vkqm0zI. Faith’s ashes will be interred in the columbarium at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Sun City, Arizona. Her soul lives in heaven.