Martens is accomplished bowler
Staff writer
Virginia Martens is known in Hillsboro for her bowling ability and her many accomplishments on the lanes.
Born Virginia Funk, she is the daughter of Goldie and the late LaVerne Funk of Hillsboro. She grew up in rural Hillsboro 10 miles south of town for the first seven years of her life. She attended the country school until the family moved their house to town.
After moving to town with her family, at the age of seven, she attended the Hillsboro schools and graduated from high school in 1971. The summer after graduation, she became engaged to Jim Martens, her high school sweetheart.
In March of 1972, she married Jim and the two settled in Hillsboro. They celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this year.
In 1973 to 1975, Virginia worked as a secretary for the dean of men and women and in the financial aid office.
"My first bosses were Walt Kleinsasser and Grace Utting," said Virginia.
Tabor restructured its departments, and Virginia's office was later changed to student development. Also her title was changed to receptionist/secretary.
On Oct. 31, 1975, she had her first child, Jessica, who is now married to Mitch Frantz, and lives in Hillsboro.
Virginia was a stay-at-home mom for about 18 months. Tabor did not have any openings at that time, so she worked as an evening cook at Parkside Homes and as a secretary for attorney John Johnson during this time.
On Oct. 5, 1979, she had her second child, Matt, who is in his senior year at Bethany College in Lindsborg.
Virginia stayed home and did not work for about 14 months.
In Dec. of 1980, she went back to work at Tabor as a data entry clerk and key punch operator.
"My boss then was Loren Ruesser," Virginia said.
In 1985, her title changed to accounting assistant and then in 1990 she became the accountant for Tabor College.
In 1995, she became the controller for Tabor, a position that is under the vice-president for business and finance.
She is responsible for accounts payable, accounts payable, payroll, government reports, and cash flow. She oversees everything that comes through the business office.
"I am the first controller Tabor has had," she said. "Tabor created this position while I was there to stay in line with the other colleges."
While working at Tabor, Virginia took courses at first to "freshen up" on some of her accounting.
In 1988, through the encouragement of her boss at Tabor, Kirby Fadenrecht, she began taking courses to obtain an accounting degree.
"Kirby helped me work out a course schedule that still allowed me to continue to work full-time," she said.
In 1995, Virginia received her degree in accounting as well as a degree in business administration and economics. She now had a double major.
"It took me 10 years to do it, but I did it," she said. "I owe a lot to Kirby — he's the one that encouraged me to do it."
Even though she was busy raising a family and working full-time, Virginia managed to maintain a hobby that she continues to love dearly — bowling.
In 1973, she began as a substitute bowler in the afternoon. The next year in 1974, she later started bowling in the evening in the women's league.
"I actually started league bowling on a Hillsboro Star-Journal team," she said smiling.
She bowled on that team for a few years, and then changed to her present team which changed sponsors throughout the years. The team now is sponsored by Hillsboro State Bank.
For me, bowling is not just a social night out," she said. "I wanted to get good at it."
Something different about Virginia is, that although she is left-handed, she bowls right-handed.
"I tried to bowl left-handed, but it just didn't work for me," she said.
Since 1975 she has bowled in the Kansas Women's Bowling Association state tournaments. She also has bowled in six national tournaments with the Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC).
She has served as league secretary for at least 15 years and the association secretary for 17 years.
She has received awards through the years. One such award includes Hillsboro high game record of 258 scratch game, which she set in 1988. The record has been tied by two others since then.
She has received numerous patches, medals, and pins for her achievements in bowling.
In addition to bowling, she played softball for about 25 years during the summer. She also coached her daughter's 13 to 15 year-old softball team.
Other hobbies Virginia enjoys are working in her yard, taking walks, reading modern-day novels, and doing crossword and jig-saw puzzles.
She currently serves on the Hillsboro Planning Commission. She has been a member of First Mennonite Church in Hillsboro since 1969. She has served as a Sunday school teacher, nursery attendant, a SalTeens, junior high sponsor, on the memorial committee, and currently serves on the library committee at church.
She and her husband, Jim, who works as a welder at Hillsboro Industries, continue to make Hillsboro their home.
