Martha Barrett Obituary, Death – Martha H. Barrett died on January 4, 2023. She was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on November 27, 1951, to John W. and Carol (Barber) Holmes. When she was a child, her family relocated to Berwyn, Pennsylvania, where she attended T-E Elementary School before graduating from Conestoga High School in 1969. She spent a graduate year in London studying acting after graduating from Lycoming College in 1973. She received her master’s degree in education from Suffolk University in 1978, where she also worked as the Assistant Director of Admissions from 1975 to 1980 before leaving to have a family. She and her family moved to South Deerfield in 1985.
In 1986, she started as a substitute teacher at Deerfield Elementary School and later served as temporary administrator from 1988 to 1989. After that, I went back to Sunderland Elementary for the same job, followed by a few years in private business. Her primary priorities were education and children, so she returned to school to acquire a teaching degree, followed by elementary, secondary, and superintendent degrees. She returned to Greenfield full-time as Principal of Newton Street School, then as Principal of Sunderland Elementary, then as Frontier’s Co-Principal in 2002, and finally as sole Principal after Don Skroski retired.
She adored that school and its entire community of students, teachers, and administrators. She was named Superintendent of Frontier Regional/Union 38 School District in 2013, capping off a remarkable career that began as a substitute teacher and concluded in 2016 due to health issues. After retirement, she was able to spend time at her beloved Lake House in North East, Pennsylvania, as well as travel to England, Scotland, and Ireland with Steve, exploring their family history and visiting family in London. On May 11, 1974, she and Steve met, fell in love at first sight, and went on a 48-year odyssey. Family came quickly after, years passed, and now we find ourselves here.
She is survived by her husband, Steve, of S. Deerfield, Connecticut, daughter Mary Welender and her husband Matt of Orange, CT, son Sam and wife Brianna of East Hampton, CT, Steve and wife Hannah of Chesapeake, VA, and Adam and wife Kara of Bernardston, MA; 14 grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends. The grandchildren are Griffin, Evelyn, and Lilly Welender, Alice, Amelia, and Henry Barrett (Sam and Bri), Kellen, Madeline, Natalie, Sullivan, Lachland, and Felicity (Steve and Hannah), and Jack and Will (Adam and Kara). Doug, her older brother, and her parents died before she was born.
Rev. Randolph Calvo will preside at Martha’s funeral services on Wednesday (1-11-2023) at 10 a.m. at Wrisley Funeral Home in South Deerfield, followed by burial at Riverside Cemetery. The Wrisley Funeral Home will be open the day before from 4 to 6 PM (Tuesday, 1-10-2023). Donations in her honor or memory can be donated to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Stephen and Martha Scholarship at Frontier Regional High School, or any other charitable organization of your choice.