Martha Siemering

Martha was born in Fayette City, PA to Richard Sturgis and Margaret Long on December 15, 1935. Her family moved to Washington, DC when she was an infant before settling in Mount Rainier, MD. She graduated from Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, MD followed by the Washington School for Secretaries in Washington, DC. Her career in various secretarial and administrative roles for the CIA, the Department of Navy and the Commerce Department were bookends to the eighteen years that she spent dedicated exclusively to caring for her family. After 30 non-consecutive years of service as a Federal employee, she retired in 2006. Martha was an avid volunteer throughout her life benefiting her faith community, public school groups, and civic organizations.

Martha married Edward August Siemering, Jr., on May 12, 1962 in Mount Rainier, MD. They started a family in Lanham, MD before relocating to their longtime home in Springfield, VA where Martha remained until moving to her final home in the Greenspring Senior Living community, also in Springfield, VA. Shortly after celebrating twenty-five years of marriage, Edward died suddenly, leaving Martha a widow at 51.

In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by sisters Marguerite Wise and Virginia Sullivan as well as nephew Richard Wise.

Martha is survived by her daughter Ann Siemering and son-in-law, William Hogan; her son, John Siemering; and three granddaughters, Olivia, Ava and Ella Hogan. Survivors also include her nieces, Carolyn Farmerie and Debora Sullivan; nephew, Steve Sullivan; and a large extended family.

Visitation will immediately precede her Celebration of Life starting at 11am on Saturday, February 21 in the annex to the Greenspring Chapel in Springfield, VA. Parking is limited and restricted to designated visitor spots.

The Celebration of Life will be held at noon on Saturday, February 21 at the Greenspring Chapel with the Reverend Jim Bell officiating. A private burial will follow at a later date in Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood, MD.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a memorial contribution to “Greenspring Scholars Fund” and mail it to Greenspring Philanthropy, 7430 Spring Village Drive, Springfield, VA 22150. For Greenspring residents, please use the My Erickson App.