Obituary of Martha D. Moses

Martha D. Moses passed away Thursday morning January 3, 2019 after a brief period of declining health.  She was 96.  Martha was an English as a Second Language teacher by profession but a life-long gardener by passion.

She was born in Atlanta, GA in 1922 and graduated from Agnes Scott College, Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in English and Spanish, in 1943.  When the U.S. entered WWII, Martha joined the Waves and was one of a handful of women across the country to be admitted to their language school in Boulder, CO where she studied Japanese.  She then moved to Washington, DC and worked in the Communications Annex.

In 1945 while in Washington, she met Sid Moses on a blind date.  Three months later they were married, a union that lasted 58 years, until Sid’s death.  They bought a piece of neglected old apple orchard near Frederick, MD and together built a small house with their own four hands using surplus barracks materials.

The Moses family moved to Hollister in 1958.  Martha was primarily a homemaker, raising their two children, but also a Girl Scout leader and community volunteer.  In the mid 60’s, they moved to Southern CA for Sid’s work and Martha went back to school, attending USC and earning a teacher’s credential.  She then taught English as a Second Language in a Los Angeles elementary school.

After retirement in the 70’s, Martha and Sid moved their home base back to Hollister, but were frequently away from home, traveling around the world.  They toured Europe twice in their Toyota truck with a cab-over camper.  They celebrated the start of the new millennium with other world travelers at an Australian campground.  The list of places that Martha visited with Sid and then continued even after his death is extraordinary.  This included: Turkey, Morocco, Cambodia, Brazil, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Russia, Scandinavia, Ecuador, Mexico, Dubai, Myanmar and China, where she celebrated her 90^th birthday.  Martha also visited Japan multiple times with other members of the Hollister sister city program.

Over the years, Martha played in the Hollister Presbyterian Church Bell Choir and was very active as a volunteer at both the library, the Hollister Women's Club and the hospital.  She was a life member of the Friends of the Library and received an award (along with Sid) as Volunteers of the Year.  In 2015 she was presented the Heart for Hazel award by the Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation.

Mrs. Moses was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Sid, who passed in 2003.  She is survived by daughter Caroline Moses Camley & her husband Robert of Colorado Springs, CO, son Dale A. Moses & his wife Kim of Kernersville, NC, and several grandchildren.

Arrangements for cremation are being handled by Grunnagle-Ament Nelson Funeral Home in Hollister.  Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice.

Friends are invited to attend Martha’s Celebration of Life, scheduled for Saturday, January 19th at 1:30 p.m. the Hollister Methodist Church with a reception to immediately follow in the Church Hall. Appetizers to share will be appreciated.