Martha Ann "Marti" Sittser

Martha Ann "Marti" Sittser went to her joyous eternal home with her Father in Heaven on July 26, 2024, at the age of 89.

She is loved and missed by her family, including her husband Wendell; son Steven and daughter-in-law Carolyn; grandchildren Christina, Kevin, and Amy; sister Marilyn DeDenko and brother-in-law Dmitri; brother Bill Mahaffey and sister-in-law Kathy; and sister-in-law Judy Pedulla.

Marti was born December 13, 1934, and grew up in Fredericktown, Ohio.  Her father Bill Mahaffey was the town doctor, and her mother Marietta the nurse and office manager of the doctor's office they operated in their home.  She always remembered her childhood happily.

She attended Ohio State and Denison Universities, and became an elementary school teacher.  In 1958 she married her husband Wendell Sittser, a Coast Guard officer, whom she met on a blind date arranged by a friend.  The Coast Guard transferred them to Kodiak, Alaska, where Marti continued to teach.  They lived there for 2 years, and loved it.

After that they moved to San Diego, where their children Susan and Steven were born.  Later they moved to Upstate New York, where the family often enjoyed camping with friends.

In 1974 their beloved Susan was lost to cancer at the age of 13.  Susan's faith in God through her ordeal inspired Marti and her family to take their own relationships with God more seriously, and all three became dedicated Christians.

After moves to California, Florida, and St. Louis, Marti joined Stonecroft Ministries and became area director for their Christian Women's Clubs, for which she was also a much in-demand speaker, giving her testimony to other women seeking God.  Marti and Wendell were also sent by Central Presbyterian Church in Clayton, Missouri, to plant a new church, Emmanuel Presbyterian, in the then-new suburb of Wildwood.  She enjoyed spending time with her three grandchildren, who lived nearby.  She and Wendell eventually joined Clayton Community Church, where Steven and Carolyn attend.

In her mid-eighties Marti was struck with Alzheimer's disease, which led to a steady decline in her health, and eventually her peaceful death.

Her family misses her very much, but knows that she is now where she wants to be.

Marti's memorial service is on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 11:00 AM, at Clayton Community Church, 2501 Rockford Ave, Rock Hill, MO 63144, with arrangements made through Schrader Funeral home (www.schrader.com).  Lunch will follow.  The service will be streamed via Zoom from www.claytoncommunitychurch.com.  If desired, donations in her memory may be sent to Clayton Community Church or to Stonecroft Ministries (www.stonecroft.org).