Martha Parrent Pomerleau

Martha Williamson Parrent was born in Nashville, Tennessee, the second child of painter Mary Weaver Williamson Parrent and architect H. Clinton Parrent, Jr.  After graduating from Harpeth Hall school for girls in 1958, she enrolled at Vanderbilt University.  In 1960 she left Nashville for Washington, D.C., where she worked for the Democratic National Committee to help elect John F. Kennedy president.  After Kennedy won, she worked for education associations.

She met Wayne P. Pomerleau in 1966, and they married in 1968.  They moved to Evanston, Illinois, where Martha perfectly typed up Wayne’s doctoral dissertation for Northwestern University.  They had their only child, Clark A. Pomerleau, in 1972.  Martha did secretarial work for Kelly Services and the National School Boards Association for several years. 

In 1977, they moved to Spokane where Wayne began a long career teaching Philosophy at Gonzaga University.  Martha completed her Bachelor’s degree at Gonzaga and then got an MBA from there in 1985.  In 1990-1991, she was Director of the Refugee Resettlement Office of the Washington Association of Churches, one of many places that benefitted from her blend of gracious caring with organizational and analytical skills.  Over the years, Martha’s interest in helping others motivated her to volunteer in Spokane—with Barton Night School, a garden club, the United Nations Association, the League of Women Voters, and Meals on Wheels.

In 2015, Martha was diagnosed with Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy dementia.  She gradually withdrew from volunteer work as the disease progressed.  Near the end of 2022, she entered the South Hill Village memory facility and soon came under the capable care of Hospice of Spokane.

Martha died on April 29, 2023.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her only sibling, Mary Ready Parrent Taylor.  She is survived by her husband, Wayne, and their son, Clark, who suggest that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Hospice of Spokane.  Cremation arrangements have been made with Riplinger’s Funeral Home here in Spokane, but there will be no service.