Martha M. Steen

Martha Steen died peacefully with her nieces Betsey Gault, Barbara Collins, and Virginia Merrifield by her side following a short illness on July 4, 2025.

Born in Evanston Illinois, Martha grew up in Wilmette and attended New Trier High School followed by Cornell University for college. After Cornell, Martha got a job at a hospital in New York where she helped to digitize the record keeping process (quite progressive at the time).

Martha married William Steen in 1962 in San Francisco and lived in Belvedere CA for 34 years. While living in Belvedere, Martha was quite active in the Marin community, including participation in Marin Charitable and Marin Art and Garden and was a docent at the de Young Museum. Martha and Bill also served on the de Young Acquisitions Committee. Martha and Bill generously donated many pieces to the Museum and were also founders of the American Decorative Arts Forum in 1983. She and Bill were active members of the YPO Group and arranged and participated in trips all over the world. Favorite trips include the Northwest Passage, Japan, Africa and Sri Lanka. Martha’s father was a UK native and she took many trips to England over the years sometimes with lucky nieces in tow. Thornton’s toffee was a bad habit she shared with those close to her.

In 1996 Martha and Bill moved to the SF Towers in San Francisco and were among the first to move into the new urban retirement mecca. They enjoyed life at the Towers and contributed to the quality of life there by serving on resident guidance committees.

Martha is survived by her brother, Dr. John Merrifield of New Hampshire, as well as nephews Brooks Merrifield of Colorado, Dr. Ben Merrifield of Washington, and nieces Betsey Gault of Texas, Barbara Collins of Colorado, Martha Martin of Maine, Leigh Anstadt of Utah, and Virginia Merrifield of California.

Hers was a life well lived.

Services to be held at 5:00 pm on July 18, 2025 at the San Francisco Towers

1661 Pine Street, San Francisco