Martha Esther Maddox

Martha Esther Maddox, 95, passed away peacefully on August 20, 2024. Martha was born September 20,1928 to Emil and Mary Laplander in Dollar Bay, Michigan and was the youngest girl of 14 children! Martha, also known as Marty to her closest friends and family grew up in Dollar Bay and graduated from Dollar Bay High School in 1946. After high school, and while working at Houghton Power Company, she met her late husband, Howard Maddox, who passed away on May 8, 2020, in 1952. After dating about one year, they were married August 8, 1953 and a year later moved to Denver, Colorado and raised their family in the Denver Area until health issues required them to move closer to family in Durango, CO. Marty and Howard were married over 66 years. Marty enjoyed singing in her church choir, playing the piano and organ, and acting in many plays in her younger years. During her retirement, she also enjoyed golf, square dancing, biking and cross country skiing. She enjoyed the company of her grandchildren and in later years her great-grandchildren. Most mornings Marty could be found out taking long walks in the company of her dogs.

Martha is survived by her four children-Deborah Klepfer, Darrell (Eileen), Jody (Dave) Peck and Kevin; her seven grandchildren-Amanda (Jeremy) Sisneros, Virginia (Jeffrey) Hofferber, Kelly (Kodi) Jones, Paul (Jacquelyn) Maddox, Matthew (McKenna)) Klepfer, Wade (Lindsey) Peck, and Rianna Peck and seven great grandchildren- Liam, Finley, Hunter, Joshua, Gabriel, Lucas, Henley and Oakley. Memorial services for Marty will be announced later. In lieu of flowers and other gifts, her family asks that donations be made to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, “In Honor of Liam Maddox” at https://cota.org/campaigns/COTAforLiamM