Martha Murrah Cameron

Local hero, Martha Cameron passed away August 1, 2019 in Tampa, FL with the demeanor of The Lt. Col. she had been. She was 100. Martha was one of the few nurse anesthetists to go ashore D-Day +4 in Normandy, France with the 128th Evacuation Hospital along with 20 doctors, 30 nurses, and 200 enlisted men. Her care of wounded soldiers is commemorated at the American Veterans Disabled For Life Memorial in Washington, D.C.; "I felt a special compassion for these young men with torn-up faces. The wounds one could see were often less severe than the psychological injuries they brought with them. My heart went out to each of them." At the time of retirement she was one of the Air Force's most senior nurses. She continued her career in Jacksonville, FL, until her move to Tampa in 1996. She travelled the world with ruby lips and the motto, "go while you can." Her commitment to nursing continued with the Society of Air Force Nurses, USF School of Nursing, and an appointment to the Florida Board of Nursing. Martha Cameron was born September 5, 1918 in Hopewell, VA, to parents, Vashti and Earl Cameron. She attended the Hewitt School and the Jersey City School of Nursing. She is survived by nieces, Karen Considine of East Hampton, MA and Judy Lewis of Gaithersburg, MD, and their children: Michael Ryan Lewis, Elliott Cameron Lewis, and Kimberly Joy Considine. Memorials may be made to Canterbury Tower, Tampa, FL in honor of her incredible history and the loving care she received in her final years.