Martha Rose Andrews passed away peacefully at her home Tuesday, February 5th. She was born October 16, 1935, in Newton, Iowa, to the late James Louis and Martha Thigpen Rose. Her love of fashion lead her to Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, from which she graduated in 1955 with first honors in fashion design and illustration and a minor in music. While there she played clarinet with the St. Louis symphony earning first chair. That summer she designed dresses for Adrian-Tobin of Chicago and was invited to be a guest fashion editor at Mademoiselle Magazine in New York City. She continued her studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she was chosen "Cotton Bowl Princess" in 1956.
In 1957, Marti began designing greeting cards for Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Missouri. She also studied oil painting and portraiture at the Kansas City Art Institute. She later joined the advertising department at Neiman-Marcus in Dallas, Texas, where she was responsible for fashion ad copy and illustration. Marti continued to refine her skills as an artist studying with the likes of James Stover of Texas and John Howard Sanden of New York City.
In 1970, Marti moved to Raleigh with her two young sons to be closer to her mother. Here she began a career in portraiture receiving over a hundred commissions. And here she met her husband, Alex Andrews, whom she married in 1972. Marti cherished the time spent raising her sons, George and Jimmy, and enjoyed traveling the world with Alex and vacationing at their home on Atlantic Beach. In addition to fashion and art, she loved interior design and entertaining which she considered the art of living. Marti will be remembered for her strength and positive outlook and her wit and clever turn of phrase.
She was preceded in death by her son, James Rose Andrews, and her husband, Brigadier General Alexander Boyd Andrews. She is survived by her son, George Hamilton Andrews, his wife Debbie, and their two children, Ashley James and Hamilton; and a brother, Bill Rose, of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Visitation and celebration of Marti's life will be held at the Carolina Country Club on Friday, February 8th, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A graveside service will be held at Oakwood Cemetery on Saturday, February 9th at 12 noon.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Stephen's College, 1200 East Broadway, Columbia, MO 65215 or to the American Red Cross, PO Box 37839, Boone, IA 50037-0839.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC.
