Martha Smith Muzyka, age 91, passed away in the comfort of her home in Raleigh, NC on Thursday morning, January 20, 2022 with her grandson Andrew at her side. Born on August 30, 1930 in Monroe, Louisiana, she was the daughter of the late James Henry Wiggins “JW” Smith and Martha Kathleen Slade Smith.
Martha was born early in the Great Depression and lived a modest life in the small town of El Dorado, Arkansas. She met her first husband, Wayne Thompson, on a blind date, and they were married on April 15, 1949. They had their first daughter, Victoria, and soon relocated to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where Wayne pursued his bachelor's degree in geology. They moved back to El Dorado, where their second daughter, Nancy, was born. After many years of living in the Ark-La-Tex area, they moved to Northern Virginia, where Wayne continued his career as a geologist with the Federal Power Commission. When the children were older, Martha ventured into the workplace and had a successful career as an insurance adjuster for USAA. Wayne passed away in 1987, and in 1989, Martha married Joseph Muzyka. Martha and Joe enjoyed 18 years of marriage until Joe passed away in 2007.
Martha had a down-to-earth personality with a thoughtful and generous spirit. She was loved and admired by family members, friends, and neighbors everywhere she lived. She was feisty and persistent yet dignified and quietly courageous to the end.
She is survived by her two daughters: Victoria Wise and husband Phillip, of Raleigh, and Nancy Marland, also of Raleigh; her grandchildren Amy Chandler of New Braunfels, TX, Rebecca Marland of Greensboro, NC, Kevin Marland of Englewood, CO, Hailey Frazier of Carrboro, NC, Cathleen Williams of Raleigh, NC, Lindsay Noonan of Watertown, NY, Andrew Wise of Raleigh, NC, William Wise of Raleigh, NC, and James Wise of Raleigh, NC. Martha is also survived by her great grandchildren: Samuel, Luke, Daniel, Noah, Olivia, Addie, and Declan.
Family will receive friends on Friday, February 18, 2022 from 12 Noon until 1:00 pm at Mitchell Funeral Home. A service celebrating Martha's life, officiated by her granddaughter Pastor Amy Chandler, will begin at 1 pm in the Chapel of Mitchell Funeral Home, with inurnment following at Raleigh Memorial Park Mausoleum.
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