Martha Webster Hartley, 67, born on Aug. 19, 1952, in Wurzburg, Germany on a U.S. military base, passed away peacefully at sunrise on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. It was a beautiful sky full of color and light, just like her.
Martha was known for her red hair, colorful personality and even more colorful clothing. She was so good at making you feel important, special, and worthy of her undivided attention. She gave new meaning to the phrase “fiery redhead” and could make any regular day seem extraordinary.
Martha grew up an Army brat living in Fort Hood (TX), Lincoln (IL), San Antonio (TX), Anchorage (AK) and settling with her family at the age of 10 in Austin (TX). She attended St. Louis Catholic School and graduated from Lanier High School. Martha went on to complete her bachelor’s degree becoming a Registered Nurse at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston (TX).
After college, she spent the summer of 1974 as a nurse for the Lone Star Girl Scout Council at Camp TexLake. From 1974-1975, she was a general surgical nurse at Seton Medical Center then moved to Washington D.C. to be an ENT nurse at Washington Hospital in 1976 during the bicentennial. Martha returned to Austin as an ENT Charge Nurse at Seton Medical Center when she met her husband of 40 years, Bill Hartley, in 1978. Martha transferred to day surgery in 1981 and worked there until the day before giving birth to her daughter, Kaitlyn, in August 1985.
The Hartley’s moved to Clear Lake City (TX) in 1988 where she was a stay-at-home mom, nurse & activity coordinator at the Clear Lake Senior Activity Center and school nurse at Brookwood Elementary. They returned to the Austin area in 1995, finally residing in Pflugerville (TX). She began working at the Pflugerville Community Library in 1999, first as a volunteer then as their second employee and filling in a few times over the years as interim-director, until she retired in 2012.
She enjoyed family ski trips to Sipapu, camping, reading a good book, a day at the lake, hunting at Yucca Flats, playing powder puff football & intermural softball, wearing tie dye, making the best Belgian waffles, cheating at cards & board games, hosting epic St. Paddy’s Day parties, sharing overly graphic nursing stories, traveling overseas & road trips, relaxing in a hot tub, sipping champagne, impromptu dance parties, Coasties & Sistas trips, watching Longhorn football, baking nut bread during the holidays, creating custom graphics for signs, banners & t-shirts, silly suppers, being a soccer mom, walking the dog, water aerobics, randomly breaking into song, eating dessert first, and black coffee in the early mornings on her back patio.
She loved her husband and daughter fiercely and family meant everything to her.
She is preceded in death by her parents Remington and Madeline Webster.
Surviving family members include her husband, Bill Hartley; daughter, Kaitlyn Hartley; her six siblings: Mike Webster (wife, Donna), Pete Webster (wife, Pam), Terry Webster (friend, Darrell Naumann), Jeff Webster, Steve Webster (wife, Kristin), Julie Messenger (husband, Marvin); her nieces and nephews: Sarah Womack (husband, Jim Bob), Brett Webster, Lindsay Webster, Eric Benanti, Alex Benanti (wife, Anna Claire), Tyler Webster, Kendall Barker (husband, Jarett), Jake Webster, Madison Webster, Becca Webster; her great-nieces and great-nephews: Braydon Womack, Bo Womack, Layne Womack, Slone Womack, Finn Webster, Luca Benanti, Ezra Barker; her in-laws: Susan Kuiler (husband, Erik), Debbie Erricello (husband, Wayne), Jane Hartley; numerous cousins and extended family.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at Anderson Terrace, 11505 Anderson Mill Rd., Austin, TX 78750. The family has asked attendees to wear bright colors or tie dye and come with a toast or story to share.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your local public library or the Salvation Army (www.salvationarmyusa.org).
