The Passing of a Friend

Linette Martin was a resident of Oxford and a frequent visitor to the Bodleian. Her first book about Lewis traced his friendship with Sister Penelope. Although it was eagerly accepted by a major U. S. publisher, and royalties would have gone to the C. S. Lewis Pte. for permission to quote Lewis’s letters to Penelope, Lewis Pte. was offended by Linette’s enthusiastic appeals for permission. With mounting irritation, they informed her that the Penelope letters are strictly reserved for Walter Hooper, if and when he wants to use them. A few days after their final refusal Linette was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

By then, Linette was over half way through her second book about Lewis. That summer she became a personal friend of longtime Legacy readers Sharon Cregier of Prince Edward Island and John and Sonja West of Seattle. When she lost her life in late December, she had completed all but three of the 16 chapters of her new book about Lewis.

Linette’s Practical Praying was released by Eerdmans in 1997 and has been warmly received as one of the most helpful books there is on prayer. Her book on icons is ready for publication, but she did not have time to submit it to any publishers.

Anyone who would like to learn part of Linette’s life story can read a bit about her in Edith Schaeffer’s book L’Abri. (Edith played Cupid and encouraged the Swiss romance and marriage of L’Abri staffmembers Linette and Joe Martin. Joe, a Harvard graduate, is an ordained Presbyterian who has spent his life ministering to both undergraduate and graduate university students. He also teaches occasional computer courses to help support his ministry. Their son in London is editor of the UK MacUser magazine.

Linette began life as a ballet dancer. She developed the largest authentic medieval herb garden in England, spun and dyed wool, and designed sweaters, She also designed and created brides’ dresses, costumes, and unique hand-stitched quilts, She was a gifted public speaker, and she presented a paper on Warren Lewis at a meeting of the Oxford Lewis Society that is available on tape.