Martha E. McFarland Baxes

Martha Elaine McFarland Baxes was born to David Faddis McFarland and Eva Flinders McFarland on Sept 19th, 1940, in San Francisco Ca. Martha spent her childhood and early adulthood in San Francisco and always loved that city. Her childhood was spent in the shadows of Nob Hill in a beautiful large apt that today one would have to be a millionaire to live in. That was not the case with the McFarland Family. Gentile poverty was their middle name. Martha often spoke about getting her books together hopping on a cable car and riding to the top of the hill to “The Fairmont” hotel to do her homework on a Sunday afternoon. She would “hold court” in the lobby at a long trestle table book and paperwork all over. Soon her friends heard about this and 4 or 5 young ladies were joining her. In the mid-fifties a baby sister (Michele) came into the picture and the family moved out to the Avenue’s. Eleventh Avenue was now home. A large old “Queen Anne” home with little heat, but a lot of charm. Martha had a large room at the back of the house which she loved. She attended George Washington high school and excelled. Martha loved school. After graduating she attended San Francisco State and that is really where her life began. She found “the theater “the passion of her life. Martha often said she attended “state” at a perfect time, as so many of the faculty were actors, directors and folks involved in theatre. Many of her classmates went on to highly successful careers in theater, TV, and film. It is through San Francisco state that Martha met Martin Benson and David Emmes and followed them to Orange County to help start the very successful South Coast Repertory theater. She spent the next 40 years of her life working at south coast and a few other venues, as an actress and casting director. Martha also worked in the MFA program at UC Irvine. She retired from the theater in 2006 and moved back “up north” to Santa Rosa ca. where her sister and family lived, and she loved it. Martha’s glass was always half full, so when her eyes started to fail, she rallied and found the Earl Baum center for the blind. She learned much from them about living with failing sight and live she did. Never complaining and always positive. In 2021 Martha moved to Fort Collins Colorado. Her sister Michele had moved there and with her failing sight she knew she needed to be near family. She moved to Rigden Farm Senior living and really loved it. Made many friends there and we will always be grateful to them for the love and care Rigden showed to Martha. One year ago, she developed Glioblastoma in her cerebellum. After many hospital stays, surgery and drugs she knew her time had run out. But as always was positive, loving and funny. If she gave and taught us anything it was how die with courage, dignity and strength. She was a marvel. Martha is survived by her sister Michele McFarland, sister-in-law Diane Holt and brother from another mother Howard Shangraw. Memorial donations may be sent to the Earl Baum center in Santa Rosa ca. or any medical institution doing Glioblastoma research. Marth, we will miss and love you forever, but 84 years is a pretty good run. Brava!!

Tributes

Martha E. McFarland Baxes

September 19, 1940 - October 9, 2024