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Martha June (Stapleton) Stadelman, 93, a resident of Ashland, Ore., since 2012 and formerly a longtime resident of Yakima, Wash., died July 26, 2023, at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, Ore. She was born June 6, 1930, in Portland, Ore., to attorney John M. and Jessie (Gardner) Stapleton of The Dalles, Ore., and attended The Dalles High School, where her mother Jessie taught English and Latin, and where she would meet her husband-to-be, Peter B. Stadelman.
Thanks to Jessie and John M., the three Stapleton kids in the big stone house on Scenic Drive (Martha, and much-loved older siblings Mary Pat and Tom) developed a love of language, music, history, and poetry. At the University of Oregon, Martha joined the Delta Gamma Sorority, DJ’d and played piano at the campus radio station, performed in several university theatre productions, appeared in a student film directed by later Academy Award winner James Blue, and dated Pete. She graduated in June of 1952 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and married Pete in The Dalles that September.
The following year, she joined him at Fort Ord, Calif., where he was stationed, and where, in June of 1954, son John was born. In 1955, the little family moved to Yakima, where Pete and his father Wilbur had already established what would become one of the oldest family-owned packer/shippers of fresh fruit in the Yakima Valley, Stadelman Fruit Co.
In addition to raising an infant (and all-too-quickly, a toddler), Martha joined the Delta Gamma Alumni Association and, later, the Leslie Loudon Guild, raising money for Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. But her real love was for Yakima Little Theatre. From 1959 on, she performed in shows, or ran the make-up department; consulted, or taught demonstration classes in theatrical make-up to high schoolers; was a charter member and trustee of the Allied Arts Council; and was president of the Little Theatre Association in 1971. Her honors include numerous "Winnie" awards for acting (including “Oliver” and “Charley’s Aunt”) as well as recognition for her outstanding contributions to the Little Theatre.
The Yakima Tennis Club — as well as the neighborly world of the Yakima Valley — turned out to be a wonderful source of fast friends for a young couple. Thanks to many group outings over the years (trips to the beach, Mexico, Europe — and even hikes in the hills around Yakima), Martha and Pete made friends for life. They were there for Martha when Pete died in 1999, and even there when Martha moved down to Ashland to be closer to son John in 2012. They, her relatives, her son — even the waiters and bartenders at the Ashland Springs Hotel — will miss her wit, her easy laughter, and her rich appreciation of all that is absurd and delightful about living a life.
Preceded in death by her parents, her much beloved brother and sister, and husband Pete, she is survived by son John Stadelman of Ashland, sister-in-law Mary Stapleton, one grandchild, numerous nieces and nephews, and many, many friends of all ages.
Private interment of ashes will be at Terrace Heights Memorial Park in Yakima on Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, consider a contribution to Heritage University, advancement@heritage.edu.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
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