Mary Martha Carr

December 4, 1941 - March 21, 2020

Mary Martha was born on December 4, 1941 in Salem, Oregon to Ivan Parker and Viola Mills Parker. She was the first of 10 children. She attended WyEast High School (1957) in Hood River, Oregon, as did Jamie Carr, who she married September 15, 1962. In 1980 she graduated from OSU with a BA in Home Economics and in 1987, a BS in Elementary Education (with high scholarship), also from OSU. She managed these two degrees while raising five children. Later in life, she also completed the Master Gardener program at OSU. Professionally, Mary Martha was a substitute teacher and Reading Specialist in the Corvallis Public Schools for many years. A born teacher and helper, Mary Martha loved sharing her skills and knowledge and was always generous with her time. She was a camp fire troop leader and director of the summer day camp program for several years. She was a crisis counselor at Sunflower House, a volunteer coordinator at Stone Soup and a contributor to quilts from caring hands, which provides quilts to at-risk children. She organized great family reunions which always included communal meals and craft projects. Mary Martha was noteworthy for her quilt making and for cooking and food preserving. She was continually involved in making and gifting her quilts to friends and family members. Her quilt-making was so productive that she turned out one quilt a month for years, creating an estimated 150 quilts over her life. She was responsible for teaching dozens of family members to preserve food and to cook, organizing cooking projects for younger siblings, children and grandchildren. She was a terrific baker, and provided whole grain bread for her growing family and cinnamon rolls for the neighbors at Christmas. She was adept at “putting foods by, and organized seasonal fruit canning, jam making and walnut cracking assembly lines. The high energy she maintained throughout her life was particularly extraordinary considering she was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) when she was 48. This incurable cancer led to metastatic melanoma, multiple surgeries, immunotherapies and her eventual death. Despite all this, MM had an abundance of energy and an undefeatable positive “can do” attitude. Her creative and generous spirit will be missed by all. Mary Martha is survived by her children, daughters Margaret Carr (Lek Chinsangaram), Katherine Annala (Carl Annala), Maureen Carr (Dan Charlson), Karen Carr (Robert Boles), and son James A. Carr III ( Melissa Baltagi Carr). She is survived by her sisters Susan Miranda (Gill Miranda) and Kathy Beale (Doug Beale) and brothers Richard Parker (Nit Yupadee), Peter Parker (Connie Hansen Parker), Robert Parker, Joseph Parker (Nang Phuikhamsing) and Daniel Parker (Nancy Parker). Also surviving are her grandchildren, Tevan, Petra, Markus, Haemish, Jenna, Thomas and Emma. She is preceded in death by her parents Ivan Parker (1918-1961) and Viola Mills Parker (1922-2014), her husband of 55 years James Anthony Carr (1940-2017), sisters Connie Surface (1949-1981) and Elizabeth Parker (1958-2020). Her ashes will be inurned at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Corvallis alongside husband Jamie. A celebration of life will be planned when it is safe for large groups to gather, and all will be welcome at that time. McHenry Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. www.mchenryfuneralhome.com