Martha Ann Gregory

Born on a farm in Macon, Missouri, on March 3, 1935, to Raymond Robey and Josephine Rissler, Martha moved to the Near North Side of Chicago with her mother at the age of 8. Her greatest and most formative memory of that time was attending classes at the Art Institute of Chicago. As a young woman, Martha relocated to southern California where she raised her first three children.

Martha met William Gregory in 1969 while he was attending a work conference in California. Reportedly smitten, she relocated to Great Neck, New York, with her three children and two dogs. William and Martha married later that year and welcomed two additional children. In their New York time, they took many family camping trips to locations across the country, visiting national parks and the 1982 World’s Fair. They left New York with their two younger children in 1984, to live in an 18th century colonial house in Marlborough, New Hampshire, where they remained until William passed away in March of 2025. They were married for 55 years.

In New Hampshire, Martha worked more than 20 years as a unit coordinator at Cheshire Medical Center, where she made many friends.

Over her lifetime, Martha enjoyed painting, scrapbooking, and genealogy. Her mantra was “Family is Everything” and her kids were her biggest source of pride, something she expressed in her prolific artwork. She had a soft spot for anything old, collecting both antiques and fragile books. She also appreciated music, particularly that of Wayne Newton and Celtic Thunder. Martha and William shared their lives with many beloved canine companions.

Martha is predeceased by her husband, William Gregory, and siblings John Robey, Alice Schwappach, and Carol Williams. She is survived by her children: Michael Martin; Sharon Carrasco and her husband, Benny; Mark Martin and his wife, Diane; Todd Gregory and his girlfriend, Krista; MJo McCarthy and her husband, Ryan; grandchildren Thomas, William, Christopher, Shawn, Sesha, Jesse, Julia, and Timothy; niece Meridith; nephew Keith; and several great-grandchildren, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Funeral services will be held privately by the family.

For those who wish, donations may be made in Martha’s memory to the Monadnock Humane Society, 101 W. Swanzey Road, Swanzey, NH 03446. (https://monadnockhumanesociety.org/tribute-gifts/).