Martha Rayola Penrod Branson

Martha Rayola (Penrod) Branson was born April 11, 1930 to Katie Adams Penrod and Albert LeRoy Penrod in McNary Arizona and was number eight of nine children. She passed away peacefully on August 16, 2020 in Glendale Arizona where she had resided the past twenty years.

Rayola attended schools in McNary and Snowflake during her primary and high school years.  She was active in local dance and music revues during her teen years, alongside her best friend Reva.  Rayola was an accomplished singer, dancer, and was an amazing piano player (which she did by ear, she never learned to read music).  She instilled that love of music in her family.  She particularly liked country music and country music dancing.

It was in Snowflake that she met her eternal partner and love of her life, Max Branson.   They married on September 20, 1947 in McNary (sealed for eternity in the Portland Oregon temple in 2001).  At 17 years old Rayola sewed her own wedding dress, a beautiful baby blue taffeta and crocheted lace dress to match Max’s eyes.  Max and Rayola began their life together in Overgaard and moved around Northern Arizona revolving around Max’s logging work.  They settled in Snowflake in the 1950’s where they raised their four children, Terry (Michele) Branson, Ron Branson, Barbara (Lawrence) Branson Stock, and Carla (Allan) Branson Hopp. 

Rayola was active in Snowflake as Blazer scouting leader, square dance club, canasta group friends, and various church activities.  As a mother she never missed a game of her sons, nor a performance or activity of her daughters.  She was proud of her children and loved and supported them unconditionally.  To this day the Bransons are very proud to have been raised by these two loving parents in Snowflake Arizona.

In 1977, after the children were raised and had families of their own, Max and Ray moved to Newberg Oregon where Max took a job renovating and automating the Newberg paper mill.  They lived there until 2000, when they decided Snow Birding between Oregon and Arizona suited them well.  They loved travel, RV-ing, camping and boating trips, and anything to do with family.  It’s not hard to imagine that Rayola had 20 best friends (her husband, children and 15 grandchildren).  Amazingly, she made each and every one of her best friends feel special.  The fifteen grandchildren all had individual, significant interactions with their special grandparents, as did many of their numerous great grandchildren.  Her family has always claimed, “We lucked out in the Mom / Grandma department….we got the best of the best.”  She was that. 

Max and Ray purchased a retirement (second) home in Glendale AZ, where Rayola remained in her later years.  She was blessed to have her son Ron (and later) her granddaughter Melissa as her companions. 

She will be missed by many, but loved and grateful that she was with us.  Thank you to all for loving our mother as much as we did.  To quote MOST of you whom we’ve recently talked with, “She was a beautiful woman.”   Yes, she was.

A Viewing will be held Thursday, August 20, 2020 from 9:00-9:45 a.m. at Owens Livingston Mortuary, 84 E. 19 S. Snowflake, AZ, followed immediately by a Graveside Service and burial at R.V. "Mike"  Ramsay Memorial Cemetery in Snowflake.