Martha Pence Pedersen

Pedersen, Martha Pence 98 June 23, 1913 Dec. 14, 2011 Martha Pedersen was born on June 23, 1913 to Mary and Earl Pence in Pittsburgh, Pa. Her family moved to the Chicago area where she attended Oak Park High School and the University of Illinois where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. She also attended the Art Institute of Chicago and the American Academy of Art in Chicago becoming a graphic artist. In 1937 she married Sherman Pedersen and moved to Portland where she shared her artistic talent with the community. She became involved in the Portland Symphony, the Portland Art Museum, the Portland Garden Club, Friends of the Columbia Gorge, The Christie School, the Lake Oswego Adult Community Center as well as many organizations which were recipients of her talent. She illustrated books on Wildflowers and Weeds and Trees of the Pacific Northwest for the Portland Garden Club. Her paintings were in the Rental Sales Gallery of the Portland Art Museum for forty years. There was always a card table in her living room that held her latest project. She was involved in painting and art projects into her nineties. She served as an inspiration to friends and family to become involved in the community. She spent her last 13 years at Terwilliger Plaza where she had many good friends. The family would like to thank the entire staff there for their loving kindness and support for her last years. She is preceded in death by her husband, Sherman; and is survived by her daughter, Mary Louise (Laurence) Hautau of Bainbridge Island, Wash.; and her grandson, Larry of Stamford, Conn. The family will hold a celebration of life at Terwilliger Plaza on Jan. 21, 2012 from 2-4 p.m. Donations may be made to the Lesta Hoel Foundation at Terwilliger Plaza or a charity of your choice. Private burial at Riverview Cemetery on Dec. 19, 2011.