Martha Jean Dunn

Martha led a full and active life with her friends, family, and Loki, her husky mix dog. She enjoyed skiing, camping, hiking, biking, and kayaking in natural settings, first in the Hudson River Valley of New York, then Anchorage, Alaska and western Pennsylvania.  

Martha had wide and varied interests. In addition to the above hobbies, she also enjoyed traveling, reading, gardening, cooking, and being a judge at the college level for the National Gymnastics League.  She worked on the New York Times crossword with an ink pen, and gave a sly smile when others suggested a pencil and eraser. She never needed the eraser!

Graduating from Duke in 1977 and SUNY Binghamton with a MS in geology, Martha took a job in Alaska with Arco. She determined the probability of oil in various land tracts in the North Slope.  Arco used this info to determine how much to bid on the tracts when they opened for bidding. She lived in San Diego for a period of time but loved the north so she returned to Anchorage to become an air traffic controller. She socialized with friends for many years, enriching each other’s lives and making memories. 

When her mother required assistance Martha moved to McKean, PA in 2020 with her dog, Loki. She became active in the community and made good friends there, enjoying time at the Erie Symphony along with her athletic outdoor endeavors. She continued her passion as a gymnastic judge, raised bees, had a prolific garden, and in general embraced the rural life. 

Martha is preceded in passing by her father, William R. Dunn (1992), and her mother, Jean Sturtevant Dunn (2024). She is she survived by her brother, Thomas S. and his wife, Leigh Harmon Dunn along with various cousins, nieces, and nephews. 

The family will have a private service and expresses appreciation for all her caregivers who helped her near the end of her life.