Emogene Golden

On Wednesday, March 15, 2023, we lost our beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, Emogene Martin Golden, at the age of 94 in Billings, Montana, after a brain tumor diagnosis. Surrounded by her loving family, she died peacefully in her sleep, with her husband of 76 years, Winfred Golden, by her side.

The second of six children, Emogene was born on February 9, 1929, and raised on the family farm near Glenwood, Arkansas, to Benjamin LeRoy Martin and Lettie Belle Ewing Martin. She attended school at Caddo Gap High School where she noticed “a dark-haired, dark-eyed boy with his cap on a little cocky” whom she fancied and eventually began dating.

After Christmas in 1946, she was visiting his parents when an out of season tornado descended into the valley and destroyed many homes, including the Golden house. Winfred rushed home from the Air Corps on emergency leave to be with Emogene and his family. They were married on January 9, 1947, and she followed him to Spokane a few months later.

After the service, they had three children Gary, Judy, and Janet. They raised their family in Anderson Valley California. In 1973, they moved to Townsend, MT where they spent 36 years before moving to Billings, MT in 2009. Emogene loved to garden, bake, and spend time with her family.

Emogene is survived by her husband, Winfred Golden; daughters Judy (Jim) Wambaugh and Janet (Ivan) Whiteaker; granddaughters Chris (Jeff) Gray, Janine (Sean) Genovese, Janelle Golden, and Michelle Golden; great-grandchildren Kim Leep, Kolter (Meghan) Leep, Austin (Sadie) Leep, and Jocelyn Golden; and great-great grandchildren Toston Sandoval and Ava and Levi Leep, and one on the way.

Emogene was proceeded in death by her son Gary, parents LeRoy and Lettie Martin, sister Betty Golden, and brother Bennie Martin.