Martha Stauffer Obituary

Martha Cecil Stauffer
Born: November 15, 1931 in Dayton, OH
Died: January 6, 2026 in Downer's Grove, IL
On January 6th, our beloved mother, Martha C. Stauffer, ascended with a grateful heart to join the Lord her Savior in Heaven. She was 94.
Martha was born Nov. 15, 1931, in Dayton, OH, to 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Lester Cecil and Celia Carroll Cecil. With her sister Nancy, brother Tom, and younger brother Dave, Martha was raised with staunch Cecil values. Faith, integrity, industriousness, and humor were woven into daily life, along with love, compassion and curiosity.
Martha was second in her high school class (missing valedictorian because she received a B once in orchestra!). She attended Ohio Wesleyan before transferring to the University of Michigan, where she earned a BS in Nursing in 1953. She worked primarily as a school nurse, but two of her proudest nursing moments were pinning a granddaughter and daughter-in-law at their nursing school graduations. Her greatest joy always came from supporting those she loved.
In 1953, Martha met William "Bill" Stauffer at the wedding of their two best friends. They quickly fell in love, marrying in 1955. Theirs was a tender and respectful love which endures to this day, despite Bill's passing in 2019.
Residing initially in Marion, Ohio, Martha and Bill soon welcomed their two sons, Brian and Randy. Shortly after, they moved to the Chicago area for Bill's work, where daughter Ann was born. They settled in Downer's Grove, where the family has happy memories of First United Methodist Youth and Choir trips; fun at Downer's Grove Swim & Tennis Club; ice skating and sledding at Hummer Park; camping trips; vacations around the U.S. with the whole family, including grandchildren; and visits with the many Ohio cousins. A heavy emphasis was placed on academics, athletics, chores and church.
Raising two active boys so close in age was a challenge, and Martha met the moment. Usually mild mannered, she told the story of having a phone call interrupted one day by an "emergency" call from the elementary school principal, complaining that Brian and Randy had arrived at school with wet shoes and clothes. "Yes," she retorted, "and they come home with wet shoes and clothes every day too, and I don't call you about it." She was strong when it mattered. Grace and class were her hallmarks. She also had a good sense of humor: She was a lefty and had a right-handed violin. When asked if that meant she was ambidextrous, she said, "No, just a poor violinist."
Martha enjoyed tennis, but her favorite hobby was singing in the church choir with her beautiful alto voice in the praise of God, which she did for decades. She was musical, often helping Ann with her flute. Her grandchildren loved playing piano duets with her when they visited. She volunteered at the Cook County jail for many years, teaching the incarcerated to read. She also served as a hospice volunteer, supporting families in their time of crisis. She and Bill enjoyed going to Florida every winter, and visiting presidential homes. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in Italy.
In recent years, Martha resided at Oak Trace Village, where she had many friends. She often sought out new residents to invite them to dine with her, and will be recalled as kind and gracious. She was a woman of quiet and abiding faith, and lived her life with compassion and without judgment.
Nothing was more important to Martha than family, and she was adored and admired by her children and grandchildren. She is survived by brother Dave Cecil of Dayton, OH; sons Brian (Shelley) of Holland, MI and Randy (Gayle) of Boise, ID; daughter Ann (Mike) Whitney of Arlington Heights, IL; grandson Austin (Marissa) Stauffer and their girls Harley, Berkley and Monroe of Eagle, CO; granddaughter Katie (Benis) Omercevic and their children Mila and Alvin of Boise, ID; granddaughter Amy (Peter) Clifton and their children Lorelei, Vienna and Crew of Holland, MI; grandson Reed (Erin) Stauffer and their baby-to-be of Portland, OR; and granddaughter Sarah Whitney and her fiance Joe Robie of Island Lake, IL. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, and was preceded in death by her husband Bill, brother Tom Cecil, sister Nancy Cecil Albrecht, and her parents.
The family would like to thank the staff of Oak Trace Village for their sincere care and concern. Martha's life will be celebrated on Saturday, February 7 at Downer's Grove First United Methodist Church, 1032 Maple Ave. Visitation will be at 12:00 pm, with the service at 1:00 pm. A reception will follow in Fellowship Hall; all are welcome. Burial will take place in West Milton, Ohio, in the spring.
For those wishing to honor Martha's life, please consider a donation in her name to one of two organizations she supported regularly: Downer's Grove First United Methodist Church (dgfumc.org) or Doctors Without Borders (https://give.doctorswithoutborders.org).