Martha Stafford Dayton

January 23, 1937 - January 13, 2021

Corvallis resident Martha Dayton passed away Wednesday January 13, 2021, at Good Samaritan hospital from the effects of a stroke. She was 83 years old. Martha was born Martha Stafford on January 23, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were Beulah and Henry West Jr. At 3 years of age she relocated with her mother and father to Southern California and lived in Rancho Santa Fe until she finished high school in 1954. After high school, Martha studied music at St. Johns College in Maryland where she met her first husband, John Vergene. They married in 1956 then moved to Brooklyn, New York where she was a stay at home mom raising two children together. In 1972 the family moved to Salem, Oregon where Martha starting working at the Statesman Journal in the publishing department. Martha was an accomplished artist, gourmet cook and musician playing the piano at various symposiums during her earlier life. Martha was a wonderful mother and raised two children, Jeff and Jennifer who also married and had 2 children each who Martha adored as her role as "chief grandma." In 2010 Martha met then married long term Corvallis resident Dr. Irving Dayton who recently passed in November 2019. During her life she enjoyed her family and loved art, cooking, travel, reading and music. She will be greatly missed and has been called home by the good lord. There will be a limited service. The family will plan a memorial gathering in the next few months. Any donations can be sent to: World Wildlife Fund 1250 24th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20037 Please send condolences for the family at www.mchenryfuneralhome.com.