Martha "Marty" Ann LaFavre Stipp

Martha Ann LaFavre Stipp died unexpectedly of a cerebral hemorrhage on January 28, 2012, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. A woman of amazing health and vigor for her 83 years, Martha first suffered a subcranial hemorrhage in September, 2011, after a fall. She struggled with her balance in the ensuring months and began complaining of severe head pain and vision problems a little more than 24 hours before she died.

Martha was born in Des Moines at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, the youngest of four daughters of Carl and Nelle LaFavre. She grew up on the east side of Des Moines and graduated from East High School in June, 1946. Martha decided in grade school to become a nurse when she grew up, and she never wavered. She worked at several jobs to save the money for tuition to Iowa Methodist School of Nursing, graduating in 1949.

During her last months of training, she married Raymond Stipp. After he graduated from Drake University, his job took them to Salt Lake City and then to Omaha, where Martha worked for Public Health Nursing until their two children, Lesley and Randy were born. They eventually moved back to Des Moines. With her children in school, Martha returned to work at Lutheran Hospital during school hours for five years.

After 20 years of marriage, Martha and Ray divorced and her life changed dramatically. From a home on Foster Drive to an apartment on Grand Avenue and a full-time job at Planned Parenthood and a part-time job at the Des Moines Register. During the next five years, Martha moved several times before buying the condo at 43rd & Grand, where she lived for the next 30 years.

Finding herself single in the early 1970s and with her children off to school, Martha had to make new friends, develop new interests, and learn to manage by herself. As she said in her own words, “It was a different life, but it wasn’t all bad.”

At age 50, Martha took Nurse Practitioner training in Dallas, TX, and was certified and licensed to practice as an OBGYN Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) in Iowa. She pursued this career for the next 15 years until she retired.

Martha helped care for her parents until they died, her father at age 93 and her mother at 99 1/2. In 1995, she joined Oakmoor Health Club, hoping the water would help her shoulder problem. It not only “cured” her shoulder problems, it also gave her a whole new social life.

Besides her family, Martha loved all animals, especially cats. In 2010, she mourned the death of her beloved cat Buffy, whose ashes will be buried with hers. She wrestled with the decision to get another cat. Five days before her death, she adopted a one-year-old cat from the Animal Rescue League, who she named Abby.

She also loved nature, walking outdoors (something she did daily for more than 30 years), swimming laps at Oakmoor (swimming several miles each week until her death), and riding her bike. She celebrated her 80th birthday by going for a 44-mile bike ride. She also enjoyed reading good books, having coffee at Oakmoor and doing fun things with her many good friends.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents, and sister Frances Ritchhart. She is survived by her sister Doris Leftwich (and husband, Charles), and Sarah Neuwerth; two children, Lesley Persily (and husband, Andrew) of Fairfax, VA and Randall Stipp of Pacifica, CA; three grandchildren: Stephanie Primmer Uttenweiler of Fairfax City, VA, Eric Primmer (and wife, Marlies) of Reston, VA, and Sara Persily of Fairfax, VA; and four great-grandchildren: Joseph Sleeper, 10, Ben Uttenweiler, 6, Sophie Primmer, 5, and Jack Uttenweiler, 4. Martha also is survived by nine nieces and nephews, including Christine Neuwerth Denburg of Iowa City, with whom she had a special friendship, and who, along with Lesley and Randy, was with Martha when she died.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be directed to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.

Memorial service will be 3 pm, Saturday, February 4, 2012, at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines. Visitation will be 6 to 8 pm Friday, at the funeral home.

On line condolences can be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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