Martha Mary Crowley Gude passed away peacefully in her home in The Villages, Florida, surrounded by her family, on December 30th. A self-proclaimed ovarian cancer thriver, Martha beat all odds for eight years. She was able to make lasting memories with friends and family during this time and continued to experience many of life's most meaningful milestones along the way.

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Martha was born in Davenport, Iowa, on December 4, 1957, to Paul and Marian Crowley. She was the sixth of eight siblings, remaining closely bonded with them throughout her life. They loved planning sibling adventures, with some of the most memorable trips being traveling to Las Vegas with her three sisters and biking across the state of Iowa during its famous RAGBRAI with her four brothers. The Crowley upbringing shaped who Martha was at her core—always prioritizing family and surrounding herself with love and support. In her final months, her siblings were able to visit and spend meaningful time together, sharing memories and childhood stories.

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Martha is survived by her beloved husband, Pat Gude. The two met in Kansas City, Missouri in 1984, and quickly fell into step with one another—quite literally—meeting up to go running. Their love grew swiftly, and they were married in May 16, 1987 in a beautiful ceremony in Kansas City. Together, they traveled the world, raised three children, and embraced life side by side. Instead of running, they continued to go on walks together daily. A few years ago, they made the decision to move permanently from Kansas City to The Villages for their health and shared passions, where they enjoyed golfing and practicing yoga and Qigong together.

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Martha is also survived by her three children, Marian, Kelly, and Augie, and their spouses, Pradyut, Ross, and Kelsey. She recently welcomed her first grandson Callum, born to Kelly and Ross. Martha was a devoted and loving mother who always wanted to be deeply involved in her children's lives and made sure they experienced life to the fullest – her family was truly her whole world. Her children look forward to continuing her legacy as their families grow.

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Martha loved to travel, stay active, and participate fully in her parish communities throughout her life. Growing up, she rode bikes regularly, played the saxophone and ukulele in high school, and ran track at Assumption High School in Davenport, Iowa. She also loved playing the piano, which was one of her greatest forms of creativity and relaxation. She attended Clark College, graduating with academic honors and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Food and Nutrition. Her girlfriends at Clark dubbed themselves Women Aware— and she paid her way through school by working for the corps of engineers as their first female boat operator on the Mississippi River.

Following college, Martha pursued her passion for service by traveling halfway around the world to Japan, where she taught English with the Catholic Church for a year. There she built lifelong friendships with fellow missionaries, relationships that she cherished and maintained for the following decades. She loved sharing stories from her time in Japan and warmly welcomed visitors from there into her home over the years. After her year away from home, she returned and pursued an advanced degree to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, and spent the rest of her career as an RDN in the Kansas City area.

Martha was one of the most considerate, caring, and loving people to walk this earth. She was always thinking of how she could lend a helping hand or bring people together. After marriage, she and Pat regularly hosted annual Christmas parties and Easter egg hunts for their neighborhood, often inviting new friends and strangers to make sure they felt included. Martha created a large, loving community around her family. The door was always open— especially if neighborhood kids caught a whiff of what was cooking for dinner. So there was often an extra mouth or two to feed during the week.

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Martha was one of the toughest humans many will ever know, proving it until the very end. Faced with a cancer diagnosis, she refused to let the illness define her. Drawing on her knowledge as a trained dietitian, she researched, adapted, and found ways to care for her body throughout treatment. She tackled her diagnosis on her own terms, persevering with grace and tranquility, supported by her family and friends.

Even during difficult treatments, Martha found joy in new adventures— from birthday parties at funkytown replete with wigs and headscarves, to trips to Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Croatia, Austria and Lourdes, France. She even made it to her daughter's wedding in Patna, India earlier this year. She was dancing at every available opportunity, taking daily walks and continuing to live actively and intentionally. Her commitment to fun, health and resilience inspired not only her immediate family but her extended family and community as well. She was an inspiration to all who knew her.

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One of Martha's favorite places to be each Sunday was in church, listening to the Word of God. She regularly volunteered as a reader and, when unable to attend in person, faithfully watched services online so she would not miss a moment. She was an active parish member who loved connecting with fellow parishioners wherever she lived. Her warm smile, loving hugs, and beautiful singing voice will be deeply missed. Planned masses will take place at some of her favorite parishes that she has been a participating member of over the years, please see below for more information.

Martha was a supportive friend and an attentive listener, making those around her feel seen, heard, and cared for. As a wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and friend, her legacy lives on through all those touched by her generosity, kindness, and unwavering love.

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Martha lived a life rooted in faith, love, and service to others. While her absence leaves an immeasurable void, those who knew her are forever changed by her example of strength, compassion, and grace. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered, until the day her family and friends are reunited with her again in peace.

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to Martha's Memorial Bench . It will be a beautiful addition in Brookside, the neighborhood and community where Martha raised her family. The extra proceeds will be donated to Catholic Charities.

Ceremonies Celebrating Martha's Life

January 16th, The Villages, FL

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 5323 E County Rd 462, Wildwood, FL

10:30am EST Service

Rohan Rec Center, 850 Kristine Way, The Villages, FL

12-3pm EST Celebration of Life Reception

January 23rd, Kansas City, MO

St. Peters Parish Catholic Church, 701 E Meyer Blvd, Kansas City, MO

10:30am CST Rosary

11am CST Service

Service Reception Following Mass at St. Peters Parish Hall

Celebration of Life Reception to follow, location TBD

February 6th, Davenport, IA

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 422 E 10th St, Davenport, IA

9am CST Visitation

10am CST Service

Celebration of Life Reception to follow, location TBD