Martha B. Deitrich

Martha B. Deitrich

Martha B. Deitrich passed away on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at Mount Nittany Medical Center on the same floor where she worked for many years as an RN.

Martha grew up on a Mennonite farm near Morgantown in Berks County, Pa. She was the daughter of the late Isaac K. and Fannie Weaver Beiler.

There were seven girls and two boys in the family, with Martha being the third child. Preceding her in death are Irene Beiler of Berks County, Ada (Ben) Ginder of Mount Joy, Pa., Anna Mary (Herbert) Hoover of New Carlisle, Ohio and Clarence (Dorothy) Beiler of Mifflinburg, Pa. She is survived by Elam (Charlotte) Beiler of Middleburg, Pa., Naomi (Warren) Keiper of Winfield, Pa., Verna Mae (Kenneth) Buckwalter of New Holland, Pa,, and Arlene (Ron) Gipe of New Castle, Pa.

On Dec. 30, 1961, at the previous Trinity UCC church in Hublersburg, Pa., she was married to Carl H. Deitrich who preceded her in death on March 3, 2021. She met Carl when she was his nurse at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa. When Carl was driven home by his parents upon discharge he told them that he had met the girl he was going to marry.

Martha and Carl were blessed with four children, Carl H. Deitrich, Jr. (Debra) of Olympia, Wash., Walter Deitrich (Melissa) of State College, Pa., Jeffrey Deitrich (Susan) of State College, Pa. and Susan (Daniel) Besch of Bellefonte, Pa. Martha is survived by all her children and eight grandchildren, Brian Deitrich, Julie Sim, Alexandra Deitrich, Catharine Besch, Christopher Deitrich, John Besch, Alexis Deitrich and Colby Besch. She has two step grandchildren, Tyson and Alyssa, and many cousins, nephews and nieces.

Martha attended the Morgantown, Pa. school system, had one year of pre-Nursing at Eastern Mennonite University, and graduated with an RN degree in Nursing from The Reading Hospital School of Nursing, Class of 1959. She worked at Geisinger Medical Center for two years. After marrying Carl, she moved to Bellefonte, and worked at the Centre County Hospital. After her children were born, she was a stay-at-home mom until all four children finished elementary school, then she renewed her nursing career at the Mount Nittany Medical Center where she worked until she retired.

Martha was busy in church activities through her teens, teaching Sunday School and Bible School in ten different Mennonite and UCC churches. After marrying, she became a member of Trinity UCC in Hublersburg, where she served as President of Ladies Guild, sang in the choir and served on various church committees. She was a Life Member of the Walker Twp. Fire Company, served as President of the Ladies Auxiliary, and spent 17 years as a 4-H leader for vegetable and flower garden projects. She was a member of the Walker Grange and served on the Board of Directors of the Bellefonte YMCA. Most recently she was a member of the St. John’s UCC Church in Bellefonte.

One of Martha’s favorite activities was competing at Grange Fair and Bloomsburg Fair, primarily in vegetable and fruit exhibits, canning, baking and needlework. She was also well known for her pies and was featured in the 2011 WPSU documentary film about Grange Fair. She so enjoyed working in her gardens. After retiring from nursing she spent 20 years baking and selling her sticky buns, bread, cookies, pies and apple dumplings at an honor-system stand in front of her home in Zion. She heard once that she was known as “the little old lady from Zion who made the best peanut butter fudge.”

Martha loved her family and grandchildren. Her daughter, daughters-in-law and grandchildren all have a crocheted piece from her, and birthdays were never forgotten. One special statement Martha often used when a family member or friend was discouraged or depressed was “sometimes when one door closes, God opens a bigger and better door.” Just ask God for help.

She was a local legend in the Nittany Valley for her baked goods, flowers, vegetables at her stand and at Grange Fair. She will be missed by many in our community, especially by her family.

A public viewing will be held on Monday, July 28, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at St. John’s United Church of Christ, 145 W. Linn Street, Bellefonte. Funeral services will begin at noon, at the church, with Pastor Ann Graves and Pastor Diane Kinley officiating. Burial services will immediately follow at Hublersburg Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Wetzler Funeral Service, Inc. in Bellefonte.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Martha to St. John’s United Church of Christ, 145 W. Linn Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.wetzlerfuneralhome.com