Martha Roth

Martha Squier Roth, 97, a longtime Erie resident and generous donor to many community organizations, passed away at the Woodlands at ForestView Health Care Center on Sept. 14, 2015.

Martha Jane Squier was born Jan. 10, 1918, in Columbus, Oh., to Harriet Estella Short and Harry E. Squier. She attended North High School in Columbus and graduated from Ohio State University in 1939, where she studied elementary education. She was a dedicated contributor and past president of the Visiting Nurses Association, an officer of the Junior League of Erie and a member of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of the United Way of Erie County. She also belonged to the Carrie T. Watson Garden Club, the League Club of Naples, Fl., and the Profits Investment Club. She was active in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, which she joined while at Ohio State.

“Marty,” as she was known to her many friends, was a tireless and cheerful correspondent. Over the decades, she sent hundreds of birthday and anniversary cards to her countless friends and relatives. She bought postal stamps by the roll and kept a deep supply of cards on hand for all occasions. Her animated notes were always peppered with lots of dashes - -- and exclamation points !!! and ALLCAP letters for emphasis. As a child of the Depression, she preferred writing letters over the extreme expense of making “long distance” phone calls.

Marty was a “get it done” kind of a girl who was always busy, whether with friends, family or crafts. She was an accomplished knitter and worked beautiful needlepoint designs. She sewed Halloween costumes for her children and created intricate Christmas decorations.

She also loved to entertain. Marty hosted dozens of parties over the years, first at her home in Glenwood Hills and later at her lakefront house in Manchester Beach, which she decorated with loads of bright red geraniums every summer. She also hosted several parties at her beloved Kahkwa Club. She also was a member of the Erie Club and the former Aviation Club. She was an avid card player who excelled at competitive duplicate bridge and loved playing backgammon with her second husband, Dr. Russell B. Roth.

She was also a relentless record-keeper. She diligently maintained several “logs” of her activities, including a daily listing of every penny spent from her household account, every thank-you note that she sent - or received, every guest list and menu for each party she hosted as well as the more mundane tracking of appointments and her children’s activities. Her stock exchange log included every purchase, sale, dividend and stock split for nearly 50 years.

Marty moved to Erie in 1945 after teaching elementary school in Ashland and Cincinnati, Ohio. During her early years in Erie she was active in several civic groups. A highlight on her calendar was a yearly Christmas shopping trip to New York with her first husband, C. Robert Austin. In her later years, she became a world traveler, taking several cruises around the globe, where she made many life-long friends. Later in life she spent the winter months at her condominium in Naples, Fl.,

She was a member of the Church of the Covenant and Wayside Presbyterian Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Russell Roth, the lifelong Erie resident and prominent urologist, and by her first husband, C. Robert Austin, the Erie native and construction executive.

She is survived by a daughter, Melanie Austin of Menlo Park, Ca.; two sons, Clemont R. Austin III (Penny) of Erie, and Kevin S. Austin of Atlanta; five grandchildren, Rob, Julia, Peter, Joe and Benjamin; four great-grandchildren; and her sister, Joan Brisley of Jamestown, N.C.

Friends may call at Burton Westlake Funeral Home, 3801 West 26th St. (at Powell Ave.), on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 1-4 p.m. Burial will be private.

The family is extremely grateful to the staff of Springhill and the Woodlands for making Marty comfortable in her final years.

Memorials may be made to the United Way of Erie County, 420 W 6th St #200, Erie, PA 16507, and the Erie Philharmonic, 609 Walnut St, Erie, PA 16502, or to the charity of one’s choice.