VALCIUKAS MARTHA RICHARDS On August 7, 2023, age 61, of Philadelphia, died after a 14 month fight with pancreatic cancer. Martha was the youngest child of Harriett Stapler (White) and the late Reverend F. Lee Richards. She is survived by Stanley, her loving husband of 35 years; two daughters, Emily (Kevin, grandson Alex) and Anna (grand-dog Winnie); her mother Harriett; brothers Fred (Jennifer) and Ashton (Hannah); nieces Jennifer, Kate, Alice, and Lily; nephews Jose, Tim, and Toby; many extended members of the Valciukas, Richards, and White families; innumerable friends; and countless families and students from her twenty-two years of teaching at SCH Academy. Martha started her career at the University of Pennsylvania in Wharton's Executive Education program before finding her niche teaching young girls at the lower school campus of Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. Martha always looked forward to spending summers in Maine with her family, arguing about how many rocks she could bring home, reading, and gardening, which she called both a joy and a chore. To know Martha was to hear her before you saw her, whether it be from her many bracelets jangling or her infectious laugh that encouraged you to join in, to feel comfort that you always had a helping hand or a piece of sage advice. There is no unit of measurement to sum up how greatly she will missed. A Service will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 11 A.M. at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church in Chestnut Hill. Martha loved the color blue – her family encourages you to wear your best "Martha blue" to her service. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) in honor of Martha's memory. (JACOB F. RUTH)

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Published by The Philadelphia Inquirer on Aug. 10, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for MARTHA VALCIUKAS

Sponsored by Jacob F. Ruth Funeral Directors, Inc..

3 Entries

Ruth Groff

December 9, 2023

O, I'm so sorry to learn of this. I just sent Martha a fb message, not having heard from her for a while. We were friends in 3rd and I think 4th grade. I remember sleeping over at her house. We were back in touch in recent years through fb, and then in the last year bcs I had cancer too. But then I didn't hear from her for a while. O I'm so very sorry. She sounds as though she was as decent and kind from the years between when she left McCall and when she died as she had been to me as a new kid in school in 1970. I'm so sad.

Debbie

August 10, 2023

One of my dearest and closest friends. This picture says it all. I can still hear her laugh in my head. It will always be there. She was a great teaching colleague, a perfect companion on our trips to Spring Lake, a good floating pool buddy, and a great person to commiserate with, no matter the subject. I will miss her so, so much.

Rich Chamberlain

August 10, 2023

Have known Martha since childhood in Cohasset Ma.

Godspeed Martha.

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Memorial Events
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Aug

19

Memorial service

11:00 a.m.

Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields

8000 St. Martins Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118

Funeral services provided by:

Jacob F. Ruth Funeral Directors, Inc.

8413 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118-3366

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