WOOSTER – Martha Elizabeth Whittier, age 96, passed away on September 5th, 2018, at West View Healthy Living after a short illness. She lived a full life, and will be missed.
Born on September 26th, 1921 to Durbin Monroe and Eva Elizabeth (Levers) Shamp, Martha was the sixth child of nine siblings. As a young girl, Martha was raised in a tidy white farmhouse in Honeytown, Ohio, where she loved to play baseball, swim in the creek, and perform in school plays.   Martha was a 1939 graduate of East Union Rural High School (Apple Creek High School).
Married to William œBill  A. Whittier on August 30th, 1941, they began their life together apart-Bill spent three years deployed in North Africa during World War II, while Martha cared for their newborn daughter. Mother to six children, her motto was practical: keep the peace. For many years, she brought up her children while also working an evening job at Maurer’s Pharmacy in Wooster and later at Morris Oil.
During retirement, Martha and Bill spent winters in Florida. They lived in a vibrant community, where Martha enjoyed socializing. She was a loyal and devoted friend.
Whether it was gathering with other neighborhood mothers in the yard, serving coffee around her kitchen table, hosting large family meals, or visiting with guests while she lived at Westview Manor, Martha was a sincere and gracious hostess.
She loved going out for lunch, volunteering at her church (First Presbyterian, Wooster), golfing, and bridge, as long as those things included family and friends. A voracious reader of every genre, she was also a keeper of family history, grew hydrangeas and daisies, and played spoons with grand kids.
Martha was elegant (even when mowing the lawn), and could always be counted on to be present (and well dressed) at family events. She remembered birthdays, danced at weddings, and especially enjoyed holding the new grand and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, and two sons, Henry Hank Whittier and John Whittier, a grandson, Andrew King, and 8 brothers and sisters, Esta Snure, Estelle Gorsuch, Ralph Shamp, Richard Shamp, Gladys Mullen, Lester Shamp, Delno Shamp and Mary Starr and a son-In-law, James King.                        
Surviving are her daughters, Susanne King of Lima, Dianne (Morris) Stutzman of Wooster   Lauren (John) Dunbar of Wooster, and Jody Whittier of Wooster; grandchildren, Sara (Brian) Highland, Rebecca (Rob Coon) King-Newman, John W. Dunbar, Michael Dunbar, Alexander (Alexandra Wilson) Dunbar, Rachel (Sam Heiks) Stutzman, Mark (Lisa Malys) Stutzman, Eric Stutzman and Robert (Jennifer) Stutzman; 18 great grandchildren and 3 great-great-Grandchildren.
Friends will be received 1 hour prior to the 11:00 a.m. service on Saturday, September 15, 2018 at the First Presbyterian Church, 621 College Ave., Wooster with the Rev. David Rice, Rev. Charles Cureton and Rev James Watt officiating.   Burial will follow in the Wooster Cemetery.
 McIntire, Bradham & Sleek Funeral Home, 216 E. Larwill St., Wooster is assisting the family.
 Those whyo wish may make memorial contributions to the Wayne Co. Humane Society, 1161 Mechanicsburg Rd., Wooster or to the First Presbyterian Church.
 Online condolences may be left for the family at www.mcintirebradhamsleek.com.                
 

Memorial Contributions
Wayne Co. Humane Society, 1161 Mechanicsburg Rd., Wooster, OH 44691 or to the First Presbyterian Church, 621 College Ave., Wooster, OH 44691

Service
Saturday, September 15, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church

Visitation
Saturday, September 15, 2018 from 10-11:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 621 College Ave., Wooster