Martha "Marti" Jane Laubach
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Martha (Marti) Jane Riley passed away on November 13, 2019. Marti was born on April 22, 1939 in Glens Falls, New York and grew up in Saratoga Springs, New York. She received her bachelor's degree in home economics in 1961 from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Marti began a life of service in 1961, teaching elementary school in Glendale, Long Island. In 1962 Marti decided to work internationally among the poor and trained for this work with the Grail Institute, an international organization of Catholic women in social, educational, and medical fields. She traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and began working in the slums, or favelas, of the poor with a group of women from the Grail. Upon her return in 1965 she attended Marquette University to pursue a master's degree in social work, where she met her husband John (Jack) Laubach, the love of her life. They married on May 11, 1968 in St. Boniface Church and lived in the same house on Shoreland Avenue in Whitefish Bay for 50 years.
Marti will be remembered for her wide, beautiful smile and unforgettable hugs. She had an infectious enthusiasm for spending time in nature, building relationships, and learning about religious and cultural traditions. In recent decades, she was a beloved member of Lumen Christi, St. Eugene's, and St. Monica's parishes and an active participant in centering prayer groups. From her days at the Grail Institute, she maintained a lifelong commitment to reciting Psalms and nurturing her own spiritual growth. Marti served the Greater Milwaukee area by advocating for equal housing rights, special-needs youth, and at-risk infants and toddlers. She had a passion for sharing the joy of nature, annually raising dozens of monarch butterflies with neighborhood children and volunteering as a naturalist at the Schlitz Audubon and Riveredge Nature Centers. Marti loved nothing more than an extended conversation, often asking her famous question, "What's your dream job?", or ending a lengthy phone call with "I'm sending you a hug - did you catch it?" She truly cherished relationships.
Marti is preceded in death by her mother, Margaret Hortense Riley, father Philip Riley, and sister Phyllis Smith. She is survived by her husband Jack; brother Stephen (Shelley); sister-in-law Collette; brother-in-law Peter; three sons, John (Marie), Jacob (Anjolie), and Stephen (Carina); grandchildren James, Peter, Noah, Aurora, Isabella, Madeleine, Genevieve, and one soon to be born; and many nieces and nephews. She will be deeply missed by all.
The viewing will be on Monday, November 18, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Feerick Funeral Home, 2025 E Capitol Drive, and the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 19, at 11:00 AM with visitation starting at 10:00 AM at St. Eugene's Catholic Church, 7600 N. Port Washington Road.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Penfield Children's Center (http://penfieldchildren.org/) or St. Vincent de Paul (https://www.svdpusa.org/).
Feerick Funeral Home of Shorewood, WI serving the family. 414-962-8383