Martha Brody, loving wife, mother and grandmother, died at Lancaster General Hospital on May 5, 2009, after suffering complications from a fall. She was 86 years old.   

Born on Nov. 28, 1922, in Zwaytienie, Syria, she was one of four children of the late John E. Allan and Selma (Slaiby) Allan. When Martha was a baby, the family moved back to Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Martha was married to George Brody, who preceded her in death. High-school sweethearts , they celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on Dec. 11, 2008. They lived on Conestoga Boulevard in Lancaster. After George's death, Martha lived at Evergreen Estates Retirement Community in Lancaster.

During World War II, Martha worked in base operations at Army Air Force Base in Hondo, Texas, where George was stationed. After the war, she was an interpreter for the Immigration Office in Wilkes-Barre before she and George moved to Lancaster.

Martha was a proofreader for many years, working for Science Press, R.R. Donnelly and, for the last 20 years of her career, Lancaster Press. She was a member of the Communications Workers of America.

After she retired, Martha volunteer at Lancaster County Library on Duke Street. She was a member of AARP.

A religious and spiritual person, Martha was a member of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Lancaster.

Her interests included reading, especially biographies, and following current events. Martha's  family and friends also will remember her elaborate meals and warm hospitality, of which she was justly proud. She was an inventive home cook, and she enjoyed teaching her daughter-in-law, granddaughters and grandsons' wives how to prepare Syrian foods.

Martha also had a strong love of language, something she and her husband shared and together passed on to their children and grandchildren. Among other things, they will miss hearing her call them "einu" ("sweetheart"), one of her many terms of affection.

Martha put her family above everything. She was George's devoted care giver through his many ailments, which began with a heart attack when he was 38 years old.

Martha is survived by a son, Bruce A. Brody, of Springfield, Va., and Bruce's children, Donald G. Brody, of Las Vegas, Nev., Jennifer A., wife of Patrick Gould, of Honolulu, Hawaii, Mary G. Brody, John E. Brody and Joseph P. Brody, all at home.

Martha and George's elder son, Stephen J. Brody, died in 2000. He and his wife, Jo Anne, had four sons: Stephen G., husband of Julie A. and father of Lilian E. and Nora G. Brody, of Lancaster; Joseph R., husband of Rhonda L. and father of Alaina R. Brody, of Lititz; Michael A., husband of Marcie A. and father of Benjamin S. and Anthony W. Brody, of Lancaster; and C. John Brody, of Lancaster.

Jo Anne remarried in 2003 and is the wife of Ronald S. Plutnicki, whom Martha and George warmly welcomed into the family, along with Ron's children and grandchildren: Ryan C., husband of Molly Plutnicki, of Phoenix, Ariz.; Lisa M., wife of Peter G. and mother of Peter W., Kali M. And Corinne E. Coleman, of McLean, Va.; and Eric M. Plutnicki, of Chicago.

Martha's sisters, Mary J. (Allan) Welch and Rose S. (Allan) Tucker, preceded her in death. Her brother, Allan J. Allan, survives them.

Family and friends will be received on Monday, May 11 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., with the funeral service to follow, at Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Chapel, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz 17543.

Instead of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the George Brody Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Alumni Association, 750 E. King St., Lancaster, PA 17602.  To send an online condolence, please visit www.snyderfuneralhome.com.