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In memory of

Martha Rosa von der Gathen

Norfolk, VA

July 13, 1939 - December 3, 2021

Jul 13, 1939 - Dec 3, 2021

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Martha Rosa von der Gathen, 82, passed away on 3 December 2021 after a brave battle with metastatic breast cancer.

Martha was born on July 13, 1939, to Rosa and Karl von der Gathen in Essen, Germany. In 1963, she made the life-changing decision to come to the United States to work as an au pair in Mt. Kisco, NY. Despite having little knowledge of English, she mastered the language quickly and decided to make a permanent move to the US. Her fiancé Erhard joined her the following year and the two were married on 21 March 1964. They settled in Saugerties, NY and in October 1978 welcomed their only child, Natasha.

Martha was an incredible role model for her daughter, instilling in her a deep love of learning and a fierce work ethic. While still raising a young child and working in a local hospital, she decided to resume her education and pursue a college degree. She went on to earn a B.A. in German Language and Literature at SUNY New Paltz, followed by two master’s degrees from SUNY Albany. She traveled tirelessly throughout the Hudson Valley for decades, serving as a classroom teacher, private tutor, and translator. She was especially beloved by her ESL students, to whom she loved playing the role of a surrogate mother. She continued to work well into her seventies, finally retiring only at the insistence of her daughter.

When she wasn’t working, she could be found indulging in her favorite hobbies – gardening, singing, and writing. Despite her busy work schedule, she always made time to volunteer, first at the New York Public Library in Manhattan and later at WHRO in Norfolk, VA. Unfailingly generous, she loved opening up her home to friends and family, especially on holidays. She never met an animal she didn’t like and adopted countless pets in need of a loving family.

Martha was predeceased by her parents and her younger brother Willi. She is survived by her older brother Egon, her daughter Natasha, her daughter’s father Erhard, and her devoted companion Michael.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her name to the National Breast Cancer Foundation or the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. A celebration of life ceremony will be planned at a later date.

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