It is with great sadness that we have learnt this week of the passing of Nancy Martin.
Nancy and her husband Bob were great servants of the Nazareth Hospital and Nazareth School of Nursing, living here for a total of 17 years until 1995. Nancy was for many years the Director of the Nazareth School of Nursing. In partnership with local staff from Nazareth she helped the School gain recognition for the training of registered nurses, a major step in making it what it is today, a thriving educational institution teaching over 350 students each year.
Since returning to the US, Nancy remained in touch with the work in Nazareth and developed many close and deep friendships here. She also served for several years as a member of the Board of the Nazareth Trust. Nancy and her family have set up the Nancy Martin Memorial Scholarship fund for scholarships at the Nazareth Hospital School of Nursing – a fitting tribute to her lifelong dedication to nursing education and her connection to Nazareth.
We will be holding a memorial service in remembrance of Nancy at our hospital chapel in Nazareth on Monday 30th September.
Nancy L. Martin, 78, of Lancaster, PA, died Monday, September 16, 2019 at her home. She retired in 2007 after serving as former executive director of No Longer Alone Ministries, Lancaster, PA. As faculty, she taught nursing at West Virginia University, York College of PA and the Nazareth School of Nursing, Nazareth, Israel. She was certified as a clinical specialist in medical-surgical nursing.
A 1963 graduate of Goshen College, Goshen, IN, she received her master’s degree in nursing from West Virginia University in 1981. She earned her doctorate in Administration of Higher Education in 1987 from West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.
She was married to Robert W. Martin, MD for fifty-six years. They have lived in Lancaster and York since returning from Israel.
Nancy, with her husband, spent most of their careers in Nazareth, Israel as medical missionaries with the former Mennonite Board of Missions of Elkhart, IN, now known as Mennonite Mission Network. She had the privilege, with the help of local colleagues, of starting a school of nursing for registered nurses among the Arab Israelis of Galilee, which continues as the Nazareth School of Nursing, seeing it accredited by Israel’s Ministry of Health during her tenure. She served as director of nursing education there from 1987 to 1995.
Nancy served on many boards of non-profits in the USA and Israel. More recently she worked for some of these non-profits as a volunteer.
She was a member of East Chestnut St. Mennonite Church, Lancaster, where she served in various ministries. Her focus in life was to promote health and faith.
Born in York, PA, she was the daughter of the late James S. and Alma M. (Groff) Rudy. She had pleasure in doing family genealogy and writing of the family histories.
She is survived by her husband and two children, R. Craig Martin, MD, married to Carol Ann (Call) Martin of Georgetown, KY and Karen L. Gish, of Wrightsville, PA and five grandchildren: Zachary S. Gish, married to Alexandra (Poff) of Pittsburg, PA, Madelyn L., married to Macson McGuigan of Harrisonburg, VA, Charles G. Gish of Wrightsville, PA, John R. Martin of Barboursville, WV, and Samuel T. Martin of West Point, NY. Also surviving are her brothers: John H. Rudy and his wife, Lucy Gehman of Lancaster, Clarence E. Rudy of Lititz and a sister-in-law, Eva M. Stetter Rudy of Thomas, WV. Also surviving is her sister, Sarah E. Sauder of New Holland, PA. She was predeceased by her sister, Mary Jane Detweiler and her husband, Richard C. Detweiler of Lansdale, PA, as well as her brother, J. Paul Rudy of Thomas, WV.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Service for Nancy will take place on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at 3pm at Neffsville Mennonite Church, Lancaster, PA. The burial will be private at Garbers Mennonite Cemetery.
