Martha Jeffries Atwell

Martha grew up in Ben Avon and graduated from Ben Avon High School class of 1937, earned a B.S. from Carnegie Tech in 1941, and a Masters in Education from Pitt in 1962. She married Ralph Wayne Atwell in 1942. She began her career as an executive secretary for Koppers and U.S. Steel before becoming a teacher in 1960. She taught for 26 years, first at Bradford Woods Elementary and then at Franklin Park Elementary, and she loved her teaching career– and enjoyed running into her former students in the North Hills area for many years after.

She was a member and very active in her church, Ingomar United Methodist, for over 70 years. She also volunteered for AARP, including serving as president of the North Allegheny Chapter, as well as Easter Seals, New Century Club, and others. She regularly donated blood because she had an unusual blood type. Martha also was an elected McCandless Republican Party Committee member. She was very social and enjoyed singing, dancing, and acting as part of amateur productions, and once played a role as an extra in the major studio film, Lorenzo’s Oil. She loved to travel and to get together with friends to play bridge, which was a life-long hobby, having learned to play when she was seven years old.

She is survived by two children, Ralph Wayne Atwell and Nancy Diane Atwell, five grandchildren, Jeff Grada, Ellie Grada, Margot Atwell, Ralph Wayne Atwell III, and Andrew Atwell, and five great-grandchildren. Martha was predeceased by her daughter, Suzanne Atwell Grada.

There will be viewings at H.P. Brandt Funeral Home on Thursday, June 26, at 2 to 4 pm and 6 to 8 pm, followed by a service on Friday, June 27th at 11:00 am at the Ingomar United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Martha’s name to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (alzfdn.org/donate), 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th floor, NY, NY 10001.