Martha Juanita Schubert

Martha Schubert, 100, died Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. of complications from a recent fall. She passed peacefully, having been surrounded by love. She was preceded in death by her late husband Raymond Joseph Schubert, and her siblings Elsie Mae Kirby, James Watson, William Watson, Rexford Watson, Laura Woodford, and Robert Watson.

Born March 7, 1925, in Kirby’s Crossing, North Carolina, she was the daughter of the late James Watson and Minnie McCaskey Watson. Until 15 Marty grew up on the family farm in Easten North Carolina. When both parents passed away, the siblings pulled together and took care of each other. Marty moved to Ohio to live with James, the oldest brother who died shortly thereafter. Marty finished high school in Ohio, and moved to California with her sister Laura, and both of them then moved to Virginia for awhile and lived with their sister Elise Mae. Marty then joined the United States Army.

Marty was a World War II Veteran, serving at Oliver General Hospital, at Fort Gordon, Augusta, Georgia as an Women’s Army Corps (WAC) surgical tech. She and Ray met in the army (according to one of them, while Ray was having his appendix removed, and to the other, when he made his move in the chow line) and served together in Augusta. Upon discharge, they each went home to opposite coasts, but quickly decided they wanted to spend a lifetime together and married. Ray’s parents, Raymond J. Schubert and Margaret Daily Schubert, welcomed Marty with open arms, and they built a family in New Jersey. After 25 years Marty and Ray moved to Columbia, SC, where they lived their best life, working, playing tennis, dancing, and enjoying the love of friends and family. From Columbia, Marty and Ray moved to Delray Beach, Florida, where they lived and loved life together for 33 years, and where Marty stayed for an additional seven years. For the last few years of her life Marty became a “snowbird” with her daughter Lynn, traveling to Washington, DC each winter, becoming loved and feted by special friends there too.

Marty not only worked her entire life: in a factory, in the Army, as a model, running a doctor’s office, as a successful real estate agent, and finally, traveling with Ray and assisting with his business, but also was there for everyday moments and every special moment for her children, whether a recital, a play, a sporting event, or anything else. She and Ray (and their loved cocker, Tammy) attended more field hockey games, from scorching to freezing weather, in New Jersey and all over the southeast, than anyone could have ever asked for.

Marty also was the consummate volunteer. She volunteered at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach, FL as a patient advocate, and at the Bargain Box, a charitable fundraising enterprise. Marty had strong principles and believed in helping others. Ultimately, Marty, sponsored by her dear friends Lynne Weedling and Joyce Phelps, joined the PEO, a national philanthropic organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities for women and girls. Marty was most proud of the Christmas fundraiser she and others organized that raised a record amount of contributions for this cause near and dear to her heart. Having instilled a love of and dedication to education in her youngest daughter, she was honored to assist other women and girls to have the same opportunity. Marty’s PEO Chapter has made a donation to the P.E.O Foundation, Cathy Bollinger Fund in honor of Marty.

Marty was loved by family and friends around the country, and maintained a special relationship with her beloved nieces and nephews and their children, as well as all of those wonderful “adopted” daughters. For her 100th surprise birthday celebration in March, family and friends gathered in Delray Beach, Florida for a weekend of joy and festivities. People came from as far away as Texas, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Minnesota, California, and Washington D.C. to join her Florida friends and family to celebrate this amazing and wonderful woman. Marty was gracious, warm, loving, positive, tough, musical, and had a rapier wit. She enriched the lives of all who knew her and is sorely missed.

Survivors include two daughters Lynn Schubert and Cathi Kurvink; son-in-law Jeff Kurvink; Grandchildren Wendy Keys, Caitlin Kurvink, and Jessie Kurvink; and great granddaughter Kourtney Keys.

Marty will be interred with Ray at the South Florida National Cemetery for veterans in Lake Worth, FL and a mass will be held at St. Andrews Catholic Church, Stuart.

Father Jack Barrow brought not only love and spiritual guidance to both Marty and Ray during their time in Florida, but peace for each of them for their passing.

If you are interested in donating in Marty’s honor to the Catholic church Father Jack built in Stuart, Florida, please send your donation to Father Jack Barrow at St. Andrews Catholic Church, 2100 SE Cove Rd. Stuart, FL 34997.

If you would like to make a contribution to assist women and girls with their education in Marty’s honor, please make checks payable to P.E.O. Foundation, and mail to P.E.O Foundation, 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50313, with the memo Cathy Bollinger Fund in the memo line, or donate online at https://www.peointernational.org/educational-support/peo-foundation/.