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Martha Jean White

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Northern Illinois University

Martha White Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Apr. 8, 2024.

Martha was the third of eight children born to Robert and Regina White of Oak Park Illinois. She attended Ascension, Trinity and graduated from Northern Illinois University. She had a brief career as a movie extra in Hitchcock's "North by Northwest". She wrote for a living first as a writer and editor for Marshall Field and then at a medical records company. Early on, Martha was a baker of fluffy yellow cakes with navy blue frosting followed by the famous battleship grey frosting known as the "cement cake". She looked forward to family summer vacations at Lake Delavan at her favorite cabin, Norwood. Later she enjoyed traveling in Europe. The color pink appeared everywhere Martha went in clothes, pictures and walls. Politically a liberal Democrat who volunteered in campaigns as well as a precinct worker. Her losses have been many. Preceded in death by her brother, Bob, parents Robert and Regina White, grandparents Frederick and Rose Ludwig, Richard and Alice White and her fondly beloved Auntie Belle. Also sadly her cousins, Elizabeth Gallagher, William Talsma, Marilyn Roundtree, Patricia Regan and Kathleen McNichols. Martha is survived by Marion (Stephen Elston), Stephen (Marcie Jeffreys), Ruth (Michael Willis), David, Susan (Richard Asano) and Elizabeth (Joseph Cotugno). Martha was very fond of her nephews: Eamon, Daniel, John and Kyle and nieces Ellen, Geneva, and Sarah and especially loved her grandnephew Robert and grandniece Marion. Goodbye Martha, we miss you. Now, go out and VOTE.

Visitation at 10:00 am and funeral mass at 11:00 am on Wednesday May 1 at St. Alphonsus Liguori Church, 411 N Wheeling Rd, Prospect Heights, IL 60070. A private burial will be held.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice.

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Brian Sullivan

September 13, 2024

I met Martha in the mid-1980s when I was a supervisor in the publishing division of the American Bar Association. I hired her as a freelance proofreader and was so impressed by her work that I asked her to become a full-time employee. She was invaluable to me and to the ABA, turning out stellar work on a timely and regular basis. We became very good friends and occasionally socialized outside of work. After Martha left the ABA, in the early to mid-90s, we stayed in touch and tried to get together at least once per year in the city (I live in the far SW suburbs). I looked forward to those meetings and we always talked and laughed for hours. Martha would tell me all about the various groups she was a part of, and the political activism she was involved in. I always admired her for trying to make a difference, and for caring so much about people and social issues.
After many years of meeting in the city, we switched to meeting at my home in Orland Park. I was concerned that it was such a long way for her to go, but she just laughed it off and said that seniors ride public transportation for free. Martha just really enjoyed being in the open spaces and tree-lined neighborhoods of the suburbs. She often remarked how she loved just sitting together in my yard, talking, watching the butterflies and listening to the birds. She once even asked me to open the door to my backyard storage shed because she had always wanted to see what suburbanites have in their sheds.
The last time I saw Martha was September of 2023, at my house. Since that time, I emailed her now and then but got no response, though that was somewhat typical of Martha. Over the months I called a couple of times and left messages, but again heard nothing back. I began to get worried and fear the worst, so I looked for an obituary online, but did not find one .. until yesterday. Seeing confirmation of Martha's passing was shocking and heartbreaking. I had not been aware of any serious health issue, which would have prepared me somewhat for the bad news.
All I can say is that Martha was one of the people I have most admired in my lifetime, and I am thankful to have had her as a friend for so many years. I hope she felt the same about me. Rest in peace, dear friend.