Obituary for Martha Susan Wetherholt
Martha was a force of Nature, universally admired and respected for her energy and strength, her intelligence, honesty, generosity, kindness and compassion. When breast cancer attacked her body in 2019, Martha bravely endured months of chemotherapy, a radical mastectomy and then 9 weeks of daily radiation treatments in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. By the summer of 2020, she was told that her body was
apparently cancer-free. She longed to travel and have fun, but the pandemic made most of that impossible. In April, Martha started feeling ill with a wide range of symptoms, which we blamed on every possible cause
except what it ultimately turned out to be – more cancer. The breast cancer had not been destroyed but had metastasized throughout her body. Despite the efforts of the medical team at John’s Hopkins University
Hospital, her condition deteriorated quickly. On June 2nd, less than two weeks after being diagnosed, Martha passed away quietly in the Hospice of the Panhandle near her home in West Virginia, her husband Mike at her bedside.
Martha was born in Southeast Ohio on November 29, 1953 to Frank and Betty Wetherholt. Her strength of will was evident from an early age, and she told Mike stories of sneaking out at night to roam the neighborhood when her parents thought she was asleep. Martha was a pioneer, excelling in the study of Biomedical Engineering and graduating from Case Western University (1976) despite the biases against women in technical disciplines in that day. After college, she worked at companies including Allen
Bradley, developing biomedical equipment such as CT scanners. She quickly impressed her employers not only with her technical capabilities but with her ability to manage and motivate people. Along the way, Martha’s focus evolved from equipment to software design, a critical component in the power and flexibility required for medical imaging equipment AND, as it so happens, spacecraft. Martha went to work for the NASA Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center in Cleveland, where she also earned a Masters Degree in Industrial Engineering from Cleveland State University (1995). Martha’s intelligence and passion soon made her a leader in the area of software safety and quality assurance within the Agency and throughout the aerospace industry, receiving numerous awards including a Medal for Exceptional Achievement. In 2001, Martha transferred to NASA HQ in Washington DC to become the Manager of Software Safety and Quality Assurance for the entire Agency, where she would eventually be promoted to the role of Senior Technical Fellow. Martha was widely recognized as a champion for setting software safety standards used throughout the aerospace industry.
Throughout her life, Martha has been an adventurer. Her travels have taken her all over the country and the world. One of her fondest memories was of her trip to India, including Kashmir – which was a spiritual pilgrimage as well. Another was the sailing trip through the Caribbean with friends, where she served as chef and navigator. Other journeys included Scotland (with her cousin Debbie), Ireland and Italy and France with her husband, and Peru with family. Her honeymoon was spent driving from Ohio to California and back: camping, mule-riding, repelling bears... typical Martha stuff.
In February 2019, Martha retired from NASA after 30 years (28 in government service). She and her husband sold their home in Washington, DC and moved to Shepherd Village, a senior co-housing community they had helped design and build in Shepherdstown, WV. Martha took on many worthwhile challenges in her new community, leading development of the community garden, which includes a greenhouse and chicken coop.
Even before retirement, Martha dedicated many years to studying energetic healing disciplines, which support the inherent health of the whole being, especially the nervous system. As a registered Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist, she learned to help clients channel energy in their bodies to repair damage and promote health. Martha had plans to create a healing studio in the basement of her new home.
Martha’s untimely death has been a terrible shock for her family, friends and neighbors. The world has lost a truly remarkable woman, one whose infectious laugh still brings a smile of memory from those that know & love her. She is survived by Mike Binder, her husband of 23 years, her brothers Karl and Jon, close cousins Debbie and Mike Gray, Rick & Jay Smeltzer, as well as many good friends & beloved extended family... and a newly adopted dog named Shelby.
Those wishing to honor Martha’s memory with charitable donations are encouraged to contribute to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, to Compassion & Choices (which assists people with end of
life choices) or your local Hospice organization.
Per the family's wishes please do not send flowers, please make memorial contributions instead.
apparently cancer-free. She longed to travel and have fun, but the pandemic made most of that impossible. In April, Martha started feeling ill with a wide range of symptoms, which we blamed on every possible cause
except what it ultimately turned out to be – more cancer. The breast cancer had not been destroyed but had metastasized throughout her body. Despite the efforts of the medical team at John’s Hopkins University
Hospital, her condition deteriorated quickly. On June 2nd, less than two weeks after being diagnosed, Martha passed away quietly in the Hospice of the Panhandle near her home in West Virginia, her husband Mike at her bedside.
Martha was born in Southeast Ohio on November 29, 1953 to Frank and Betty Wetherholt. Her strength of will was evident from an early age, and she told Mike stories of sneaking out at night to roam the neighborhood when her parents thought she was asleep. Martha was a pioneer, excelling in the study of Biomedical Engineering and graduating from Case Western University (1976) despite the biases against women in technical disciplines in that day. After college, she worked at companies including Allen
Bradley, developing biomedical equipment such as CT scanners. She quickly impressed her employers not only with her technical capabilities but with her ability to manage and motivate people. Along the way, Martha’s focus evolved from equipment to software design, a critical component in the power and flexibility required for medical imaging equipment AND, as it so happens, spacecraft. Martha went to work for the NASA Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center in Cleveland, where she also earned a Masters Degree in Industrial Engineering from Cleveland State University (1995). Martha’s intelligence and passion soon made her a leader in the area of software safety and quality assurance within the Agency and throughout the aerospace industry, receiving numerous awards including a Medal for Exceptional Achievement. In 2001, Martha transferred to NASA HQ in Washington DC to become the Manager of Software Safety and Quality Assurance for the entire Agency, where she would eventually be promoted to the role of Senior Technical Fellow. Martha was widely recognized as a champion for setting software safety standards used throughout the aerospace industry.
Throughout her life, Martha has been an adventurer. Her travels have taken her all over the country and the world. One of her fondest memories was of her trip to India, including Kashmir – which was a spiritual pilgrimage as well. Another was the sailing trip through the Caribbean with friends, where she served as chef and navigator. Other journeys included Scotland (with her cousin Debbie), Ireland and Italy and France with her husband, and Peru with family. Her honeymoon was spent driving from Ohio to California and back: camping, mule-riding, repelling bears... typical Martha stuff.
In February 2019, Martha retired from NASA after 30 years (28 in government service). She and her husband sold their home in Washington, DC and moved to Shepherd Village, a senior co-housing community they had helped design and build in Shepherdstown, WV. Martha took on many worthwhile challenges in her new community, leading development of the community garden, which includes a greenhouse and chicken coop.
Even before retirement, Martha dedicated many years to studying energetic healing disciplines, which support the inherent health of the whole being, especially the nervous system. As a registered Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist, she learned to help clients channel energy in their bodies to repair damage and promote health. Martha had plans to create a healing studio in the basement of her new home.
Martha’s untimely death has been a terrible shock for her family, friends and neighbors. The world has lost a truly remarkable woman, one whose infectious laugh still brings a smile of memory from those that know & love her. She is survived by Mike Binder, her husband of 23 years, her brothers Karl and Jon, close cousins Debbie and Mike Gray, Rick & Jay Smeltzer, as well as many good friends & beloved extended family... and a newly adopted dog named Shelby.
Those wishing to honor Martha’s memory with charitable donations are encouraged to contribute to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, to Compassion & Choices (which assists people with end of
life choices) or your local Hospice organization.
Per the family's wishes please do not send flowers, please make memorial contributions instead.