Martha Marie Abernethy Smothers Spence died January 5, 2000, in Palo Alto, California. She was 84.  Martha Marie was born on June 18, 1915 in Pasadena, CA. and graduated in 1933 from South Pasadena-San Marino High School in South Pasadena, CA.  She then graduated with a B.A. degree in 1937 from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.  She did graduate work at the University of Chicago in Chicago, IL.  Martha Marie was a social worker in both Chicago and Southern California.  In 1943 she married Dr. Bartholomew Spence, Jr. in San Marino.  She was a long time resident of Palo Alto, a homemaker, and community volunteer.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Marie Church of Georgetown, Maine; two grandchildren, Emily Marie Church and Jonathan Church; and her brother, Robert "Bob" Smothers (SPHS '40).