Barbara Thompson Martin of South Pasadena, passed away on August 23, 2013. She was born in Los Angeles on December 16, 1922, and attended South Pasadena High School and UCLA, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1944. In 1951 she married John Crowe with whom she had three children. They were later divorced and in 1968 she married John R Martin.

Barbara received her PhD in Education from Claremont Graduate University and joined the staff of Pacific Oaks College as Director of Development in 1976. In the late 1980s she established an independent consulting business in nonprofit development. Her clients included the Walden School, the English Speaking Union, the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, the Western Justice Foundation, and Mother's Club. She was widely known, well-loved, and active in the community until her death.

Barbara is survived by two daughters, Kathryn Crowe (SPHS '70) of Los Angeles and Linzee Crowe of South Pasadena, and a grandson, Peter Moffett (SPHS '09) of South Pasadena. Her son, Stuart Crowe (SPHS '72), predeceased her.

Los Angeles Times, August 30, 2013

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South Pasadena Philanthropist Barbara Martin Dies

Zen Vuong, Pasadena Star-New, September 3, 2013

Hardworking to the very end, philanthropist Barbara Martin didn't retire until she died from a heart attack on August 23, 2013. She was 90. The week before Martin passed away in her South Pasadena home, the former Conde Nast model drove to a lunch meeting with Dorothy W Nelson, senior judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

"She's one of the most remarkable women I have ever met in my life," said Nelson, who began working with Martin in a conflict resolution organization about 28 years ago. "She used her loving and knowing qualities to serve humanity. Everything that she did was to make something better or to help something grow."

A graduate of South Pasadena High School, Martin's early career was as a model. In July 1950, she appeared in a 10-page spread in Glamour magazine - where she was transformed from a frumpy school teacher into a high-fashion goddess. For the past several decades, residents of the San Gabriel Valley came to appreciate Martin's dedication to nonprofits and her work with disadvantaged children. Without Martin, the Western Justice Center, which promotes mediation and peace building rather than litigation, wouldn't exist today, said Joe Mandel, a former UCLA legal affairs vice chancellor. He remembered how Martin's reputation lent credibility to a fledgling organization and helped it obtain plush donations. Nelson recalled how a potential foundation said that in lieu of a monetary donation, it would offer advice to the Western Justice Center. But its tone changed when Martin accompanied Nelson to the foundation's office.

"Everyone was saying Barbara Martin was here, Barbara Martin was here. Due to the presence of Barbara Martin and their respect and affection for her because her integrity was so unquestionable, they gave us $200,000. Because she was working for us, they trusted us."

Martin had a way with transforming the status quo. In addition to being a mother of three, Martin was a UCLA graduate who went on to get a doctorate in education from Claremont Graduate University. For a time, she worked at Bank Street College of Education in New York, where she helped disadvantaged children who aged out of Head Start but still needed supplementary tutelage. In 1975, Martin returned to South Pasadena and became the first director of development of Pacific Oaks College and Children's School. She raised more than a million dollars and in April 2012 - after serving as a trustee of Pacific Oaks College for more than 20 years - she was awarded its Living Legends Award.

In the late 1980s, Martin created an eponymous nonprofit development consulting business. Some of her clients included Walden School, Pasadena Conservatory of Music, the English-Speaking Union, Mother's Club Family Learning, Pasadena Police Foundation and Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders and Dyslexia Program.

Pacific Oaks President Ezat Parnia, 59, said Martin's generosity and efforts transformed his college, which aims to prepare students "to be culturally intelligent agents of change serving diverse communities." "She was the kind of individual that connected with people," said Parnia, who met Martin in January 2012. "She wanted to be so helpful to me. She wanted to make sure I would succeed in my presidency. She put me in touch with key members of the community that I wouldn't have been able to meet on my own. That was above and beyond the call of duty."

Martin always wore many hats. Kathryn Crowe, 60, said Martin was both her mother and best friend. Martin supported Crowe's career as a painter. In fact, Martin was always on her daughter's side. "I remember being sent home from South Pasadena High School because my skirt was too short. It was borderline. Maybe I leaned over to pick up some trash in the cafeteria," Crowe said. "I was ushered out of the backdoor of the school and sent home. (My mother) was so angry that she went straight down to the principal's office and made them apologize."

Martin "had a luster with that fabulous smile and beauty even in her age," Mandel said. Her smile might have radiated more because Martin never walked out of the house without tinting them with lipstick, Crowe said.

Though Mandel said he is saddened by the loss of a friend and colleague whom he's known for about 25 years, he said he breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that she died at home in the arms of her younger daughter, Linzee Crowe. "She died without any long-term suffering. Barbara was blessed to avoid all of that mental and physical deterioration. It just fits," Mandel said. "She deserves an end of life without suffering or pain."

Martin in survived by Kathryn Crowe of Los Angeles, Linzee Crowe of South Pasadena and grandson Peter Moffett of South Pasadena.