From the Springfield News-Leader

Patricia Sue "Patti" Ashbaugh Martin

Patrica Sue "Patti" Ashbaugh Martin, Ph.D., 58, passed away April 5, in her home in Springfield, Mo., following a 2 and a 1/2 year battle with metastatic melanoma. Patti was a long-time resident of Springfield, where she worked tirelessly as a child advocate and raised five wonderful children. Always a natural with children, she pursued her goal of higher education while working with young children and nurturing her own children, imbuing them all with the same vision and attitude toward education that she possessed. The culmination of her educational quest came in 2002, with the presentation of her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri at Columbia. As proud as she was of her own educational achievements, she was proudest that all of her children have college degrees (or soon will have), and that all of her daughters and daughters-in-law hold advanced degrees. Patti's career included jobs such as preschool teacher, director of a shelter for battered women, Head Start mental health specialist, director of the Missouri State Head Start Collaboration Office and recently retired as the Director of Head Start for the Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation for the past eight years. OACAC Head Start has 37 locations in 10 counties of southwest Missouri, serving the needs of 1,600 low income children with 450 employees. Patti was a 2001 Johnson & Johnson Head Start Management Fellow. Patti also found the time to serve on many state level committees, the Greene County Board for the Developmentally Disabled and the Mayor's Commission on Children. In addition, she was a licensed professional counselor. Patti's biggest source of pride and enjoyment was always her family and many friends. Her five grandchildren held a special place in her heart and "Grammy" will forever be watching over them. She was preceded in death by her parents Max and Florence Ashbaugh of Indianola, Iowa. She is survived by her older sister, Jane McCall of Dubuque, Iowa; her younger brother, Jim Ashbaugh, Indianola, Iowa; her daughter, Dr. Jennifer Foersterling and husband, Dr. Brett Foersterling, son Josef, and twin daughters Madeleine and Natalie of St Louis, Mo.; her son, Derek Brown and wife, Alexis, and son, Thomas of Springfield, Mo.; her son, Rob Brown and wife, Andrea, and son Sam of The Woodlands, Texas; her daughter, Emily Brown of Springfield, Mo.; her step-son, Michael Brown of Springfield, Mo.; and the children's father, her partner, and best friend since 7th grade Gary Brown. A celebration of Patti's life will be held this Friday, April 11, in Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, 1947 E Seminole, Springfield, MO 65804. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by a short memorial service and then a gathering at Patti's home. In lieu of flowers, Patti and her family request that contributions be made to the OACAC Head Start Patti Martin Memorial Fund, 215 S Barnes, Springfield, MO 65802. The fund, established by Patti's family, is designated for serving the mental health needs of Head Start children in southwest Missouri.