Gretchen Martin

Gretchen Henslee Martin, age 84, passed away on December 30, 2023. Born October 12, 1939 in Troy, Ohio, she was the daughter of the late Earl William Henslee and Margaret Pauline Prosser Henslee. Gretchen attended Wilmington College in Ohio, studied at the University of London, England and completed her B.A. and A.A. at Columbus State University in Georgia. She was a First Responder with the Shawneehaw Volunteer Fire Department. She had CISD, ACISD and PTSD training and served at Ground Zero after 911.

She was actively in involved at Holy Cross Episcopal Church for many years, and served as House Manager for Lees McRae Summer Theater for many summers. She had a wide ranging and deep appreciation of the arts. She was an avid golfer and a voracious reader. She loved cats, and enjoyed creating beautiful needlepoint projects. She deeply appreciated all her friends and especially the caring staff at Deerfield Ridge Memory Care Unit and Medi Home Hospice.

Services for Gretchen Martin will be conducted at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Valle Crucis at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Shawneehaw Volunteer Fire Department or to the Watauga Humane Society.

Online condolences may be shared at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.

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