Martha Mitchell

1930 - 2024

Martha Mitchell

Amherst, MA - Martha Aldrich Mitchell passed at the age of 93 after a brief illness on February 11, 2024.

Martha was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts to Merritt James Aldrich and Doris Cuzner, the eldest of three girls. She is survived by her sons Andrew J. Scott, Amherst, MA, David Laird Scott, Los Angeles, CA, daughters Elizabeth C. Wells (Michael), Grand Haven, MI, and Deborah L. Scott (David Rogers), Brooklyn, NY, her sister Deborah A. Dufton (Richard), Hampden, ME, her half-brother Merritt James Aldrich, Jr., Los Alamos, NM, granddaughters Courtney A. Rogers (Chris Tomai), Brooklyn, NY, and Briana Rogers (Frank Visciano), Amsterdam, Netherlands, three great grandchildren Lucy, Jude and Olivia, as well as numerous beloved nephews and nieces. Martha was preceded in death by her youngest daughter, Alison Mitchell and her youngest sister, Suzanne Fletcher.

Martha grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts where she graduated from Brookline High School in 1948. She attended Emerson College in Boston, majoring in theater and was active with the Boston Tributary Theatre, playing lead roles in their productions in the late 1940s. In 1951, Martha left college to begin a family and raise her five children, first living in Arlington and then Acton. She also spent many summers in Maine. Her love of plays and theater led her to being active in community theater at the Arlington Friends of the Drama and the Dettors Theater in Acton, Massachusetts. She volunteered for high school productions in Acton, designing and sewing costumes, and supporting local students. In 1980, she moved to Amherst, Massachusetts to study playwriting at the University of Massachusetts where she received her BA degree. Later, she completed a Master of Arts degree with an emphasis in playwriting at Smith College. She worked for the Western Massachusetts Food Bank and was active in Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst. Martha loved gardening and grew beautiful English style gardens like those she saw on her many trips to England visiting the birthplace of her mother, Doris Cuzner Aldrich, and visiting her English cousins. Martha also loved history, reading, writing, and her cats Ivan, Gabriel and Blaise. Her greatest joy in life was her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The memorial service will be held on June 8, 2024, 11:00 am, Grace Episcopal Church, Amherst, Massachusetts.