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Martha Page Wroth Martineau of Nantucket, Mass., died on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at the McCarthey Care Center in Sandwich, Mass., after an 18-month battle with breast cancer. She was 51.
She was a devoted wife to Anthony Nastus, Jr., executive chef at Le Languedoc restaurant, and a loving mother to their daughter, Martha Page Nastus, 15, a freshman at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Conn. Ms. Martineau was known for her sharp intellect, dry wit, and unwavering sense of justice.
Ms. Martineau was born on July 15, 1974, in New York City to Neal and Patty Martineau. She grew up in Tuxedo Park, N.Y., before moving to Atlanta in 1985.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Mt. Holyoke College in 1997 and a master’s degree in education from Columbia University in 2000.
Ms. Martineau began her teaching career in New York City, where she taught for two years before returning to her beloved Nantucket in 2004 to join the English Department at Nantucket High School. She taught there for the rest of her career, sharing her love of language with generations of students.
In addition to teaching, she served as a faculty advisor to the student newspaper, Veritas, and served as co-president of the Nantucket Teachers Union, where she advocated for her fellow teachers and led multiple, successful contract negotiations.
Ms. Martineau is survived by her husband; her daughter; her sisters, Sarah Doherty of Warren, R.I., and Laura Martineau of Dartmouth, Mass.; her parents Neal and Patty Martineau of Shepherdstown, W.Va.; her mother-in-law, Mary M. Nastus of New Jersey; her sister-in-law, Christina Cease, of New Jersey; her brothers-in-law Michael Nastus of New Jersey and James Nastus of Washington, D.C.; and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
A celebration of her life will be held on Nantucket. All are welcome. Date and time to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to NPR, The Trevor Project, and Boston Medflight.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

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