Martha Kluth

Martha Schaffer Kluth passed away on Thursday, December 18, 2025 at Tallmadge Health and Rehab. She was born on November 14, 1942 in Cleveland to the late Norwood Korter Schaffer and Martha Schaffer.

Martha grew up in Brookline, MA from 1943-1950 and went to Park School. Her family relocated to Baltimore, MD where she graduated from Bryn Mawr School and attended night school at John’s Hopkins University.

Martha married Frederick John Kluth on September 5, 1964 and they moved to St. Louis, MO, where she graduated from St. Louis University in 1969 and was employed as a social worker for two years. In 1969 they relocated to Columbia, MO and she began her volunteer work for the community. In 1974 they moved to Centralia, MO until moving to Kent in 1977, where Martha would earn her Master’s Degree at Kent State University in 1978. She then began working as a librarian at the University of Akron, where she would retire from in 2009.

She was a lifelong member of the Unitarian Universalist Church throughout her time in Maryland, Missouri and Kent. Martha was an accomplished and published poet and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

She is survived by her loving husband Frederick John Kluth; son Thomas William Kluth and granddaughter Layla.

In honoring her wishes, Martha has been cremated and a memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 1:00PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent, 228 Gougler Ave. Kent, OH 44240.  Inurnment will follow at Standing Rock Cemetery.

Services in the care of Bissler and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 628 W. Main St. Kent, OH 44240.