Martha Louise Andrews

Martha Louise Andrews, 68, passed away in the company of her family on August 25, 2024. She was born on August 1, 1956 in Parkersburg, West Virginia, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Joyce. 

Left to cherish her memory are her son, Philip (Eileen Ryan), and siblings Barbara Orlando, Mary Joyce (Steve Baldwin), Tom Joyce, and Carolyn Wall (Brian) along with a niece, nephews, cousins, and many friends. Her husband, Scott, joined her in death on August 27th.

After developing a love of plants during elementary school in junior garden club, Martha earned her degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech, where she was a member and president of the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, and her studies there led to a lifelong passion for gardening as well as her 45-year marriage to Scott. Over the course of her more than 40-year career, she worked in technological support and logistics management.

Martha was a devoted wife and mother. A pillar of strength and warmth in her family and friendships, she had a quiet, unassuming way of lifting up those around her, supporting their ambitions and easing their struggles. She had a big heart and loved her community deeply, nurturing lifelong friendships over shared interests as broad as book clubs, baking, genealogy, and amateur radio. In addition to the unwavering support she provided for her son and husband, she loved and cared for her mother, Betty, and mother-in-law, Bernadine, helping them age gracefully and with dignity.

Despite the challenges life threw at her, Martha rarely complained, and she is remembered by those who loved her as an optimistic and grounded presence, fiercely loyal to those she loved and unequivocally supportive of them.

Martha traveled broadly with her family, from searching for polar bears in Manitoba with Scott and her sister Mary after college, to traveling with Scott and Philip across America’s national parks, throughout Canada – all the way to the Arctic Circle. She appreciated the beauty of the natural world around her, and she created it in the crafts she learned during summers at her grandmother’s kitchen table in West Virginia, in the beautiful glass art she made and shared with loved ones, and in the extensive flower, vegetable, and herb gardens she tended with Scott. She will be deeply missed by many. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Martha’s name to the American Cancer Society or to Cakes 4 Kids, an organization Martha supported with countless hours of baking and thoughtfully designed, delicious baked goods.

A celebration of life will be held for Martha and Scott in the spring, when flowers are in bloom.