Martha Louise Devitt

Martha Louise Devitt, 85, died peacefully on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, at Live Oak Village in Slidell, Louisiana with family present. Martha was born December 6, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri. She attended St. Vincent's Academy in Shreveport, Louisiana; Marymount College in Van Nuys, California; and Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. She married John J. Devitt, Jr., on August 23, 1949, and they lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, while he finished medical school. They moved to Effingham, Illinois in 1955. Martha was an active parishioner of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Effingham and was involved in the St. Anthony Hospital Medical Auxiliary and Girl Scouts. She moved to Springfield, Illinois in 1972 with her family. She completed a master's degree in human development counseling at Sangamon State University after raising her five children, and went on to work in the field of aging, as a hospice volunteer, and as a therapist and divorce mediator with the Kwen Family Institute in Springfield, Illinois. Following her husband's retirement from the College Health Service at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, they relocated to Slidell, Louisiana in 1997. Martha enjoyed dogs, coffee, singing, gardening, reading, tennis, her Effingham bridge clubs, and traveling, including trips she made to Hawaii, Ireland, London, Spain, Florida and Yellowstone National Park. Her sense of humor and wit continued to enliven the days of those around her to the end. Her devotion to her family lives on in her children. She will be greatly missed. She is survived by her children, Mary (John Hagedorn) Devitt of Milwaukee, Wis., Peggy (Glenn) Hojem of Cottage Grove, Wis., Sue (Ken) Luhning of Slidell, La., John (Janet Cape) Devitt of Harrison, Ark., and Mike (Teresa) Devitt of Prosper, Tex. Survivors also include her grandchildren Bryna Devitt Goeckner, Zach Devitt, and Jess Devitt; Benjamin Hojem and Alex Hojem; Katie Luhning Griggs, Michael Luhning and Joey Luhning; Amber West; and Andrea Devitt Shavers, Kayla Devitt, and Michael Devitt, as well as numerous great-grandchildren. Martha was preceded in death by her parents, William M. and Catherine G. Reddy, her sister Mary K. Woods, her brother William M. Reddy, Jr., her husband, Dr. John J. "Jack" Devitt in 2007, and her granddaughter Elizabeth. A celebration of Martha's life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Saint Luke Catholic Church, Slidell. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. to service time Friday at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to either St. Joseph's Hospice Foundation or the Alzheimer's Association. Bagnell and Son Funeral Home, Covington, Louisiana, is assisting the family with arrangements.