Patrick Mccabe
Martha Frances was a mainstay in the Woodside family. We knew her best from our family reunions, her dedication to bringing us together, and her enthusiasm for making us all feel welcome. At the core of our Woodside reunions were the eight cousins who grew up spending summers together, in Martha’s words, “wading in the branch, playing in the barn, … visiting Grandmother's before electricity.” Their 80-year bond still brings us together, and Martha’s love for family has rubbed off on the rest of us, a legacy that she has given us.
One thing that always impressed me about Martha was her interest in others. She asked with keen interest about our school, our work, our lives. (And she remembered – and even used – what you told her: One year, her invitation to the reunion included a list of the neat things that family members had done.)
Martha took great delight in children: Holding the little ones, laughing with the bigger ones. (As evidence, I’d point to some of the photos on this tribute page, but I'm sure there are zillions of others.) She had a special gift for speaking with kids and young adults in a way that made them feel valued and respected – years later, I remember feeling validated by the way she spoke with me.
Martha spoke sweetly, even softly at times, but when she spoke, you learned to listen. She was sharp, insightful, wise, she had a practical ability to get things done, and she possessed a deep moral strength. She did not have an easy life; I knew that, but I never heard about it from her.
Martha also had a charming way of telling hair-raising stories in an offhand way. A few years back, she told my dad and me a crazy, scary story about her car getting stuck in cruise control – maybe the accelerator was stuck – until she crashed it, but she recounted it so nonchalantly and with a smile and a gleam in her eye, so that you might have thought she was describing a stuck door handle.
Martha was a blessing to us all. Ginny, Fran, Becky, and Jim, we were lucky to have your mother in our family, in our lives. We mourn her passing, and we are very sorry for your loss.
With love,
Patrick McCabe
Son of Dorothy (one of the eight cousins)