Martha M. Graham

In the early hours of October 22, 2019, Martha Mary Musiano Graham found peace in her home in Marietta, Georgia, with her husband and daughter by her side. Marti (73), had bravely battled ovarian cancer for over 16 years.

Marti was born on November 13, 1945 to the late Anthony Arthur Musiano, and Anna DelVecchio Musiano in Hammonton, New Jersey, and spent her formative years surrounded by a large Italian-American community of friends and family. The youngest of four, Marti loved ballet, playing the piano, and cheerleading for her beloved “Joeys” at St. Joseph’s High School. Marti went on to pursue not only her undergraduate studies, but also eventually a Masters degree in Education and Counseling from Rowan University (New Jersey), in 1974. She remained passionate about education for her entire life.

Marti’s career began at Sun Oil Company in Philadelphia. Professional success and a desire to join her Sister, Kathleen, brought Marti to Atlanta in 1976, where she joined IBM. Marti’s legacy at IBM would span almost 30 years. She worked in countless roles, rising through IBM’s HR organization and supporting many as they pursued their career goals along the way. As she settled in to Atlanta, Marti welcomed her daughter, whom she named Amiee Marie because of its connection to the French for “beloved.” Three years later, she met the love of her life, Camillus L’Engle (Cam) Graham, Jr. and another daughter Megan, also three years old. Cam and Marti married on September 25, 1982, and spent the next 37 wonderful years together.

While her first love was her family, Marti also had a love of travel. She was lucky to visit over 30 countries throughout her life, and, never having met a stranger, Marti enjoyed any chance to make more friends in the course of her adventures. Many of these she kept in contact with to this day. She passionately documented her travels and activities, along with those of her family, through the years in photographs, compiling volumes of scrapbooks into a life history, along with a home full of her memories. In her retirement years, Marti also translated her love for education to Mount Bethel Elementary School in East Cobb, where she worked as a loved member of the after-school program, and to Kennesaw State University, where she and Cam grew to love students and faculty in the College of the Arts. Her light and natural affinity for connecting with others will be remembered by all.

Marti was preceded in death by her parents, Tony and Anna Musiano; her brothers, Richard and Michael Musiano; and her stepdaughter, Megan. Marti is survived by her husband, Cam Graham; her sister, Kathie Hendrickson, her daughter Amiee (Guy) Fisk, and her granddaughter, Melissa Fisk, as well as numerous friends from all stages of her life.

Funeral services will be held at Saint Catherine’s Episcopal Church, 571 Holt Rd NE, Marietta, GA 30068, on Monday, October 28th, 2019 at 11:00am. Visitation will be held at 10:00am, prior to the service, and internment will immediately follow at Arlington Memorial Park, 201 Mt. Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. A celebration of Marti’s life will follow the services on Monday at the home of her daughter, 220 Park Bridge Lane, Roswell, GA 30075. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kennesaw State University College of the Arts. Funds will go to the Cam and Marti Graham Theatre and Performance Studies Endowed Scholarship. (Contact- Kelly Smith, [email protected], (470) 578-3129, https://community.kennesaw.edu/giving-search) Or, alternatively, donations may also be made to the Ovarian Cancer Institute of Atlanta in memory of Martha M. Graham (960 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 130, Atlanta, GA 30342, 404-300-2997, https://ovariancancerinstitute.org/donations/)