Martha Knight: SPMH and community volunteer passes at 82
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Published: November 20, 2009
Longtime Santa Paula resident Martha Knight, who embraced golf with the same fierceness she had for community activism, passed away Sunday, November 12, 2009 following a short illness.
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Times
Longtime Santa Paula resident Martha Knight, who embraced golf with the same fierceness she had for community activism, passed away Sunday, November 12, 2009 following a short illness. Martha, 82, died at her home surrounded by family members.
She was born Martha Clements Maynard in Excelsior, Minnesota on May 16, 1927 to Marcus and Louise Maynard. She graduated from West High in Minneapolis in June 1945.
Martha married James (Jim) W. Knight in 1951. Less than a decade later they found themselves and their children in Santa Paula, where Jim became the founding CEO of the then Santa Paula Memorial Hospital.
“Martha,” said longtime friend Jim Garfield, “ was a lovely lady... she was one of my buddies,” a relationship that started more than 40 years ago. “She was one of the last really good ladies - but she also had some fire - and she was very smart.”
Martha and Jim’s family life revolved around Santa Paula Presbyterian Church, where the couple served as deacons and elders as well as members of the choir and Sunday School teachers. Garfield said he and his wife Carol and the Knights “were in the young couples’ club at the church with our kids... we’d take the kids to the club, deposit them and go have fun!”
Martha was highly involved in her children’s lives and was a lunchtime playground supervisor at McKevett School, where she also served as a room mother. Whether as a Scout leader or high school dance and grad night chaperone, Martha “was a favorite of all the kids... hers and everyone else’s,” according to her daughter Laura Wilson of San Diego.
And of adults: Martha was a Founding Docent of the Santa Paula California Oil Museum, an activity she continued even while undergoing five years of regular kidney dialysis treatments. For many years Martha opened the door to her home to host a polling place, and she also served for more than 30 years as an inspector for elections.
After Jim died in the early 1990s Martha took a deep breath and continued her activities. A tireless volunteer for the Santa Paula Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, she managed the highly successful Pink Parasol gift shop and spent many hours working the register.
She was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Santa Paula Memorial Hospital Foundation. When the hospital faced first financial problems then closure and bankruptcy, Martha, whose late husband’s name remains on the administration building (the hospital was reopened by Ventura County), was a vocal critic of the hospital management company.
And she could take shots at herself. When recently victimized by a scam Martha went public, knowing if people realized that even she - respected far and wide for her intelligence and good sense - had been vulnerable, it could happen to anyone.
Honored as the Chamber of Commerce Santa Paula Citizen of the Year in 1997, Martha again was lauded for her strong support of community in 2001 when she was named a Woman of History.
A bundle of energy, when not golfing - a strong passion - Martha was playing bridge with her regular group or socializing with her wide circle of friends who knew she could always be counted on. And, for many years Martha greeted clients and their pets while working the front desk at Dr. Gil Jackson’s veterinary clinic.
Garfield said Martha regularly would give flowers to the church “every six months or so, and tell me to take them home to Carol” following the service. “When I went to see her at the hospital two weeks ago,” Garfield said, Martha had already arranged the flower offering, and “She said she wanted to make sure I took them home to Carol,” an example of the thoughtfulness Martha extended to all.
She is survived by a sister, Jane Grimes, and four loving children - Russell (former wife Jocelynn Gillette) of Dubuque, IA, David (Wendy) of Minnetonka, MN, Laura Wilson (Bob) of San Diego, and Randolph (Suzanne) of Downington, PA. She had nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren, with one more great-grandchild due at Thanksgiving.
A celebration of her life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 21 at First Presbyterian Church in Santa Paula.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Santa Paula California Oil Museum at 1001 E. Main St., Santa Paula, CA 93060, or to the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Paula, 121 Davis St., Santa Paula, CA 93060.
Interment will be at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN.
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