Nov 13, 2019

Florence Amy Seidel Martin died peacefully in her sleep Friday, November 8, 2019.

“Amy” Seidel was born April 10, 1925, in Shamokin, the first child of Earle C. Seidel and Mary Haas Seidel. She had three brothers and a sister, Earle C. Seidel Jr. (Rita), William Seidel (Nancy), Brother James, who died in infancy, and Ruthann Seidel “Hub” Hubler of Mesa, Ariz.

Amy graduated from Shamokin High School in 1943, and then earned her registered nursing degree from Geisinger Medical Hospital, Danville.

Amy married Richard R. “Dick” Martin of Philadelphia in 1945, after World War II ended. They had four children.

A woman of many talents, Amy worked as a home health care nurse in New Jersey prior to her move to Western Pennsylvania in 1954, when she and Richard moved to Washington. She then continued her nursing career working at Washington Hospital and eventually became a full-time wife and mother. By 1967, she began using her medical skills and knowledge, working with American Cerebral Palsy. Amy continued her education, completing a bachelor’s degree in 1971 and being among the first class of women to graduate from Washington & Jefferson College, previously an all-male school. She then went on to complete her master’s degree in psychology. This enabled her the expertise to develop one of Washington’s first public childcare facilities: Professional Child Care Service. Serving as a hospice nurse, Amy combined her medical knowledge and her psychology background to serve many terminally ill people to die gracefully and with dignity. She did this all as volunteer service to her community.

In 1986, she and her husband, Dick, retired and moved to south Florida in the Boca Raton area. There they built their retirement home and remained active in their church and community. Amy became quite active in their church, First Presbyterian of Boca Raton, with mission trips to Nicaragua. Dick passed in 2002 at age 78.

Amy is survived by her sister, Ruthann “Hub” Hubler; sister-in-law Rita; four children, Richard D. (Karen) Martin of Greenacres, Fla., Susan L. Martin (William B.) Dietz of Houston, Texas, Jill Amy Martin (Ronald E.) Frye of Pollock, Idaho, and Clinton “Kip” Martin of Nashville, Tenn.; six grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and countless nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the hour of services, Saturday, November 16, in Piatt and Barnhill Funeral Home, 420 Locust Avenue, Washington. Interment will follow in Washington Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to a Christian charity of your choice.

Arrangements are entrusted to Piatt and Barnhill Funeral Directors Inc., Charles R. Piatt, owner/supervisor, Lawrence K. Donovan, director, Andrew C. Piatt, director.

Condolences may be expressed at www.piattandbarnhillfh.com.