Martha M. Johnson, active in community
Martha M. (Marty) Johnson died at her home in Rehoboth Beach Wednesday, July 12, 2023, following a five-year battle with cancer, in the company of her husband of 56 years, Owen (Toby) Johnson and her son, Joel Johnson. Marty was born in 1944 in Ludington, Mich., and was a graduate of Ludington High School, Western Michigan University and Johns Hopkins University.
Since childhood, Marty was keenly interested in children's educational development and farming, particularly fruit farms, which were prevalent around Ludington near the shores of Lake Michigan. Many of her childhood summers were spent in her uncle’s orchards and that time proved to be formative in her life.
As a teen, she worked with a Methodist church-sponsored program intended to help the children of migrant workers who came to the area each summer to harvest fruit. While parents worked the orchards and fields their children were able to both play and obtain tutoring in reading.
Marty earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education which she employed early in her career, but never lost interest in small farms. Following graduate work at Hopkins, a 20-year career at the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Energy as a survey program manager, analyzing U.S. energy consumption, and 28 years of residing in Silver Spring, Md., she and Toby retired to Rehoboth Beach.
Upon arrival in Rehoboth, Marty immediately became involved in the Read Aloud Delaware program, an educational initiative that took her throughout Sussex County tutoring children in reading. Concurrently, she joined the Coastal-Georgetown Branch of the American Association of University Women whose principal objective is to focus on aiding exceptional high school girls to continue their education at the college level.
Marty was also a founding and active member of Rehoboth Farmers Market which promotes the production and consumption of locally grown fruits and vegetables and other farm products such as honey and lavender. The farmers market has been in continuous seasonal operation at Grove Park in Rehoboth Beach for over 20 years.
She also took great pleasure as a very active member of the Rehoboth Book Club, a wonderful informal assemblage of folks with broad reading interests who enjoy getting together to share perspectives and socialize. She also treasured time with her family, especially her four grandchildren.
Marty was preceded in death by her father, Walfred Wrege; her mother, Fern Babcock Wrege; and her brother, William (Bill) Wrege. Her surviving immediate family members include husband, Toby; her son, Joel, his wife Colleen, and sons Nate and Alex of Ardmore, Pa. Nate is a rising second-year cadet at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Alex is a rising high school senior; as well as son, Robert Johnson, his wife Belinda, son Austin and daughter Elana of Midland, Ga. Austin is a rising sophomore at University of Memphis and Elana is entering kindergarten. Marty is also survived by a brother, Ronald Wrege and his wife Linda of Portage, Mich.
Contributions may be made to the Coastal-Georgetown Branch AAUW, c/o Donna Osborne, 220 Oceanview Blvd., Lewes, DE 19958, or at georgetown-de.aauw.net, clicking the yellow Donate button indicating contribution is intended for the Marty Johnson Scholarship for Girls fund.
A celebration of life is being planned for the fall.
Arrangements are being handled by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
Visit Marty's Life Memorial webpage and sign her online guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.
