Martha Maher was my grandmother. I never got to meet her because I was born on October 25th, 1988. As you can see she died pretty much exactly 2 months before I was born. My mother has told me that she would talk to me through my mom's belly and tell me she loves me. My older brother of 3 1/2 years has a few memories of her. One being : She bought him an Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas record and he was so scared of the voices he would cry and run away. She felt so bad.

She was Miss Milford and Runner up for Miss Connecticut. She was so beautiful. And I am told I look just like her.

She was married to my Grandfather, Phillip James Maher Jr. He died when he was 56 years old. My father was 12 years old, but remembers him so well. Him and my grandmother were deeply in love.

My grandma died from a rare form of Lucemia. She had Multiple Myeloma. The day she went into the hospital she was on her hands and knees cleaning the kitchen floor. LoL she was a very strong woman. and EVERYONE loved her.

So when my parents were picking out a name for me, at first it was going to be Samantha. But then my grandma died. So my mom and dad were sitting across from eachother at the kitchen table and decided to give me her name with a twist. So they went back and forth. Switching Martha around and backwards up and down. Then my dad blurted out "Marlene" my mom fell in love with it. So thats how i got my name. I used to not like it until I heard the story of how i got it. So now I treasure it.

I wish I could have met my grandmother, and grandfather on my dad's side. But they live in me.

Martha A Maher