Donnice Cluff Martin

Donnice Cluff Martin was born February 5th, 1944 to Alvin Lavor Cluff and Florence Walker Cluff in Farmington, New Mexico.

Donnice passed from this life, after a short illness, on July 16, 2023. She was 79 years old.  Donnice was the second of nine children and grew up in a home where religion, music and adventure were regular parts of her life. She spent most of her formative years in Chandler, Arizona. As Donnice grew older, she enjoyed participating in music groups and competed in the Miss Chandler pageant.

Shortly after high school, she met and married Tommie Sisk. Due to his profession as a baseball player, they were able to live in many interesting places around the Western Hemisphere. Those places included, but not limited to, Southern California, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Florida, Kansas, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Wherever they lived, she found a way to make it home. She loved to travel and experience different cultures. Donnice and Tommie divorced.  Years later she married Allen Martin with whom she had many memorable adventures. Donnice was a student of clothing and fashion, a passion that she says came from her Grandmother Walker, who she had great admiration for.  Donnice was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Her church membership was very important to her, and she served in many callings. Those included Chorister, Relief Society President, Primary President and more. She spent many hours offering service to others.  Donnice was a proud member of the DUP (Daughters of Utah Pioneers) and always seemed to be able to find a cousin or relative wherever she went. If you ever met her, she probably found your family history ties, through genealogy, within 10 minutes of the conversation. Many people commented on how much she was like her mother in this way. 

She loved her job at the Church Distribution Center, in Salt Lake City, and took great pride in the friendships she formed and helping others find clothing to be worn to the Temple, which was one of her favorite places.

Although all of the above are important parts of Donnice’s life, none of them were nearly as important or defining to her as her role as a Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother.  She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren deeply and unconditionally and made every effort to be as involved in their lives as possible. She was a regular at her grandchildren’s recitals, plays, sporting events and looked for any opportunity to support them.  She was a prolific note and letter writer and never missed a birthday, anniversary, or important life event.  Donnice always loved the opportunities to be involved with her family and would send thank you notes for the smallest occasion or event.  In the last six months of her life Donnice was so grateful to move to Orem to be closer to her children and their families.  Her children would like to express special thanks to the staff at Cove Point, and particularly to the kind staff at Utah Valley Hospital who worked so hard to make her last few days as comfortable as possible.

Donnice was preceded in death by her parents, brother John and sister Vernene.  She is survived by her siblings; brothers, William and Valdon, and sisters, Patrice (Fairbanks), Maura (Kluzik), Tammy (Montgomery) and Colleen (Jones), and by her children/grandchildren/great grandchildren:

Layne (Kathy), Tiffany (Alex, Tage and Logan Noble), Daniel (Honey), Dallin (Kirsty)     

Daryl and Chris Sisk, Alex and Vica Sisk, Nicole, Colton, and Lottie Holder

Dawn (David Draper), Ramsey Anderson, Korbin (Jessica) Draper, Jarren (Emily, Amber) Draper, Morgan (Teancum, Sophie) Chamberlain, Madison (Trayce, S.J., Casey) Peterson, Grace Draper, Jentri Draper

Lori (Sherman Robinson), Chandlaur Simpson, Brianna Simpson, Elle Robinson, Clara Robinson

Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. in the church at 1850 South 2300 East in Spanish Fork with a viewing from 10:30 to 11:30 prior to the services.

For those unable to join us in person, services will be streamed live beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 22nd  at the following link:  https://www.youtube.com/@wheelermortuary4570/streams