Martha Gillespie

CLAYTON - Martha Gillespie, of Clayton, died on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 at age 99. She was born Nov. 14, 1911, in New York City. Her parents, Emil Schrom and Martha Kandler Schrom, had emigrated in the early 1900's from Austria and Germany, respectively. She found employment in business and medical fields in New York, Pennsylvania, and then in Delaware, in public health as a State of Delaware employee. Upon her retirement in 1977, she continued her interests in travel, gardening, the culinary arts, and homemaking. She was preceded in death by a brother, Herbert Schrom; and a sister, Margaret New. She is survived by her son and caregiver, Victor Soreny, of Clayton; her son, Philip Gillespie, of Townsend; a grandson, Stephen Soreny of Richmond, Va.; a great-grandson, Matthew T. Soreny, of Richmond, Va.; a brother, E. Randolph Schrom, of New Port Richey, Fla.; nephews, Gerard Schrom, of Drexel Hill, Pa.; and Joseph Schrom of W. Babylon, N.Y.; nieces, Mary Lou Pennington of Maple Glen, Pa.; Kathryn Shaffer of Camden-Wyoming; and Linda O'Kelly, of South Burlington, Vt,; and several grand-nephews and grand-nieces. Cremains will be buried in Wallkill Valley Cemetery, Walden, N.Y. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Peace Lutheran Church, 5048 Wheatleys Pond Rd., Smyrna, DE 19977. \Arrangements are by Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Smyrna.