Martha Skaer Wright

1940 - 2023

Martha Skaer Wright

March 20, 1940 - November 6, 2023

Overland Park, Kansas - Martha Jeanne " Martie" Skaer Wright was born March 20, 1940 in Kansas City, MO to William K. Skaer Sr and Charlotte H. Bennison Skaer both deceased.

She attended Hickory Grove School K - 8. She graduated Shawnee Mission High School '58 (Go Indians!). She was a 1962 graduate of Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University) St. Charles, MO majoring in Biology, minoring in Chemistry and Classics. She had the honor of being Senior class president. After graduation, she was one of the earliest women hired by Monsanto Agricultural Co. , St. Louis MO, as an Agricultural Research Scientist. She was hired because she had worked a special project at Lindenwood using radioactivity. During her early years of research at Monsanto her work on glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, helped Monsanto develop it as a herbicide used worldwide. During her later years at Monsanto, under Martha's leadership, her team developed tissue culture processes for the important crop plants soybeans and cotton. Ultimately these processes led to the successful production of genetically engineered plants. After 25 years with Monsanto, she moved to Ciba-Geigy (Syngenta), an agricultural company in the Research Triangle Cary, NC, helping to improve global food security. Her research there focused on corn transformation and regeneration. In retirement, she used her expertise as a consultant. Martha was awarded an US Patent for Synthetic DNA Sequence Having Enchanced Incecticidal Activity in Maize in 1997. In 1998 she accepted a Plant Fellow Award in the Society for In Vitro Biology.

Martha married her first husband, William A. Ballard in 1962. Together they owned and operated Le-Lu Ornamental Iron Des Peres, MO. She married Dr. Paul L. Wright in 1979 and welcomed his three daughters as her own. They owned and operated Sunburst Designs Cary, NC designing and producing suncatchers. Paul died in 1993. She then enjoyed the companionship of James Calnan, welcoming his son into her circle. James died in 2000. She retired and returned to Overland Park.

Not only was Martha an advocate and example of female empowerment professionally but personally as well. She served KS P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter GI as treasurer many years. She served Tomahawk Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution as treasurer, Vice-Regent and Regent. She served the KC area as a member of the Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary. As a member of Christ Church Anglican, she honored her God serving many years on the Altar Guild. She loved to travel-anywhere. She LOVED cats. She was always happy sitting at a bridge table. She was enamored with all things blue and white particularly any version of Blue Willow dishware.

Martha was preceded in death by her son, Eric William Ballard (1967) and her brother William K. Skaer Jr. (2021) She is survived by her sister, Dianne Strunk, Overland Park KS, niece Hillary Smith and family, Kansas City MO, step-daughters Lea Alexander, Lynn Stahl and Laura Klaus and their families all of greater St. Louis, step-son Kevin Calnan and family Cary NC.

A memorial service will be held May 3rd at 2pm at Christ Church Anglican Overland Park KS. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Great Plains SPCA www.greatplainsspca.org 5424 Antioch Dr Merriam KS 66202 or Christ Church Anglican www.christchurchkc.org 5500 W 91st St. Overland Park KS 66207. "Death is no more than a passing from one room to another. But there is a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see" -Helen Keller