Martha Cecilia Pérez-Bidwell

Martha Cecilia Perez Bidwell, age: 69, wife of 35 years of Wayne Fox Bidwell of East Hartford, CT, passed away on October 22nd, 2014 in Hartford, CT, after an unexpected yearlong decline in health, with her loving family by her side.

Martha was born June 6, 1945 in Girardot, Colombia to the late Trinidad Díaz Perez and Fernando Perez Trujillo. She completed her schooling in Bogotá, Colombia before moving to New York City in 1968, eventually settling in Farmington, CT. Mrs. Perez Bidwell was employed by The Hartford and Aetna, and retired in 2005.

Martha frequented St. Patrick’s Church in Farmington and was an active supporter of political, social, and environmental causes. She enjoyed lively discussion about ideas, history, and current events; was devoted to her family and friends; and will be most remembered for her passions for justice, travel, culture, and learning.

Besides Wayne Bidwell, Martha is survived and will be dearly missed by her only child, daughter Amelia Grace Bidwell; her close cousin Olga Díaz de la Carreño and family; her entire adopted family through her beloved friend Kathy Maynard; longtime friend Nelcy Ghiretti and family; friends Susan Aresco and Kristen Thompson; and Martha’s many nieces, nephews and extended friends and family in both the United States and Colombia.

Her family would like to celebrate Martha’s spirit and invites well-wishers to bring stories to share at the service, as they would like to come together and remember her life with the joy and vibrancy that Martha embodied.

Calling hours are to be from 1-3 on Saturday, November 15, 2014at Newkirk & Whitney Funeral Home, 318 Burnside Avenue., East Hartford, CT 06108. followed immediately by a Celebration of Life Service at 3pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in her memory may also be made to: St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT or the Nature Conservancy. For tributes, online condolences or directions, please visit www.newkirkandwhitney.com