Services for Ms. Esther Martin will be Private.

Queen" Esther Martin, 74 years old of Compton CA, went home to be with the Lord on May 2, 2013. Esther was the younger of two children born to Bertha (Marion) and Lecester Owens in Dermott Arkansas, on December 9, 1938.

Her name was Esther but she is known to her children, grandchildren and extended family simply as "Mother." Mother was married and divorced three times and had eight children. Regardless to what happened with the marriages she taught each and every one of her children that there was no such thing as step or half brothers and sisters. You are just family period, and you looked out for and protected each other at all costs. It was always about family with her.

Mother was always a forward thinking woman. She was beautiful and although she only stood 5'2'' tall she carried herself like she was 6' tall. She was always dressed impeccably, with a sense of fashion that surpassed her station in life. Her sense of style and design was also evident in her home décor. She kept an immaculate home and was always presentable for any occasion.

Cooking and family gatherings were Mother's comfort zone. Holidays were always a favorite because she would cook enough food to feed an army and then some. You could taste the love and passion she put into every meal. She could make a meal out of nothing and make it taste like something out of the finest restaurant. The thing about Mother was that people always wanted to be there, they wanted to be around her, wanted to be in her home, wanted to be a part of her life. When you came to Mother's house you felt like you were at home like you were part of the family.

Anyone who really knew Mother had a story or two about her sharp wit and sharper tongue! It was always funny until you found yourself on the receiving end of her tongue lashings. Mother could process a situation and formulate a response and come back at a person so instantaneously that sometimes you did not realizing you had been tongue lashed until you had already walked away. James Brown sang the song "Papa don't take no mess" well Mother's version of the song was "Mama don't take no mess." That included teachers, neighbors, men, family members, friends and children. She would say things like, "I pay the cost to be the boss up in here" "The judge may rule the bench, but I rule this house." "Apparently you don't believe fat meat is greasy." These were all what we referred to as "Esther-isms" you may not have understood it at the time, but eventually it came to you and you understood exactly what she meant.

Mother was a single parent for many years teaching her boys how to be men and her girls how not to be dependent on them. Steve Harvey thinks he coined the phrase and movie title, "Act like a lady but think like a man", mother was saying that to us girls thirty some years ago. Mother was always forward thinking, that's just how she was, however in the midst of her iron fist rulings; she knew how to take you aside and motivate you, encourage you, talk to you, laugh with you, teach you, show you and most importantly love you. Mother participated in all school activities when we were kids; PTA meetings, class projects or school functions she was always there. She knew every teacher and they knew her. It was not at all uncommon to come home and see one of your teachers sitting at the kitchen table having tea with Mother. You always knew that somehow, some way she had eyes everywhere.

In Mother's house discipline was swift and consistent and equally spread between the girls and the boys. Aretha Franklin may have sung in the song "R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means to me" but in Mother's house we didn't need to find out… we knew what it meant. We honored and respected her because even though at the time we did not know the true sacrifices she was making for us what we did know was that she loved us and provided all the necessities and then some to give us a happy home.

Mother was proud of each and every one of her children and grandchildren and yes she did brag and as well she should. This woman from the country who didn't finish high school and had eight children produced honest hardworking people, nurses, police officers, company heads, electricians, college graduates and good old fashion hardworking citizens. Yes she had a right to brag!

Most people never knew this but Mother's given name was actually "Queen" and her middle name was Esther. She never liked that name, never used it. I always wondered about that because to us she looked like a Queen, she carried herself like a Queen and she commanded the respect of a Queen. The name Esther actually means "Star" Esther will go out of her way for others and it doesn't matter how far, for even around the world isn't very far for a "Star".

Mother leaves behind the following people to celebrate her legacy:
Sibling: Edward Owens; Children: Marcus Griffin (wife Bridgette), Christopher Griffin, Kathy Betha, Jackie Bezart, Robert Betha Erica Martin, (Henry Harris-Honorary); Grand Children: Cachet Griffin, Cierra Griffin, Ivoria Griffin, Marcus Griffin Jr., Iman Griffin, Christopher Griffin Jr. Jessica Griffin, Steven Harris (wife Jennifer), Christopher Harris, Brittney Bezart, Cameron Bezart, Dion Patterson, Devan Betha, Hailey Betha, Xavier Betha, Isaac Martin, Ezra & Joshua; Great Grand Children: Shyikeir Harris, Chase Harris, Destiny Patterson, Christopher Blanks, Damian Douglas; Mother joins the following in Glory: Darrell Owens -Son,Darwin Martin-Son, Bertha Johnson-Mother, Lecester Owens- Father, and Donovan Betha-Grandson.