Martha Ellen McCaffray Dodd's Obituary
Martha Ellen McCaffray Dodd entered into eternal rest on April 2, 2020 due to complications from a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born on November 12, 1941 in Baltimore, Maryland, Martha was the second of six children born to Charles and Martha (Pat) McCaffray.
Martha graduated from Notre Dame Elementary School, Preparatory School, and College - a total of fifteen years at the same Notre Dame campus in Baltimore. When in high school in 1956, she met Billy Dodd through her cousin Mary Corrigan. This meeting began what would become a 63-year love affair. Billy went off to college at the University of Notre Dame in 1958. The following year, Martha began her college studies at Notre Dame College of Maryland.
After graduation in 1963, Martha was awarded a scholarship to study in Florence, Italy to earn a Master’s degree in Fine Arts in Painting at the Pope Pius XII Institute. She set sail on the Leonardo da Vinci cruise ship to Italy where she was educated with twenty-four other young women by Dominican nuns and Italian artisans at the Villa Schifanoia. The Villa was a beautiful 15th century former residence owned by the Vatican, on a hillside overlooking the city of Florence. While there, Martha spent an idyllic year, taking in the sights, sounds, and life of Firenze while her painting style evolved from figurative to vibrant and abstract. She completed her studies with boldly colorful paintings and received her MFA. For years, original and giclee copies of Martha’s avant-garde ‘Villa’ oil paintings have enlivened the homes of her children and extended family with brightness and color.
Martha returned from Italy in the summer of 1964 and married Billy Dodd. Twelve months later, they welcomed Alycia (Muffin), then eleven months later, Lindsay, and eleven months later, their son, Laurin. Martha traded her paintbrushes and sophisticated lifestyle to raise Irish triplets. Nine years later, Martha gave birth to twins, Amanda and Lacy.
After living in South Carolina and New York, they finally settled in Clearwater, Florida in 1974 and have lived there ever since.
Martha and Billy have been parishioners at Espiritu Santo Catholic Church for over 46 years and steadfastly held to their Catholic faith with an ever-growing devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
They raised their five children amid a backdrop of love, laughter, happiness and color. Her energy was boundless; she was never without a project. She creatively channeled her artistic skills into her family’s everyday life. She could draw, paint, build, or sew anything -- the Halloween costumes she made year after year were legendary!
Martha made friends wherever she went. She had a loving and warm personality with a wonderful sense of humor. She was active throughout her community and never shied from taking positions of leadership and coming up with creative ideas and initiatives. Martha served as the president of the PTA at Clearwater Central Catholic High School. She was a great supporter of the U.S. Military and volunteered in efforts to help the troops, including Operation Shoebox. Martha loved our country and was a true patriot.
The blessing of the first of seventeen grandchildren began in 1995. Seven more followed within four years! Martha was always eager to be with her grandchildren and they all likewise adored her. The youngest three grandchildren were born in Clearwater between 2015 and 2018 and were a source of great joy for her to see and hold during the last years.
The onset of Alzheimer’s disease began way too early for her. In 1998 she battled and survived cancer with surgery later that year. Not long after, Martha began showing signs of forgetfulness that continued to erode her memory over the next twenty years.
Despite her failing memory, she knew Billy to the very end. She was always happy, she always smiled and winked, and was full of life and expressions. Martha defied all the odds with Billy caring for her 24/7. With his devoted and loving care, she was able to remain at home during all the years of her illness. Billy included Martha in every phone call, text, and email. They have been partners for life, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.
There was a host of angels who assisted Billy in his full-time care of Martha. Patty, Theresa, Beth, Mercedes, Julia, MJ, Melissa and many others provided care beyond expectation and have truly become members of the Dodd family. They were the front line of all the love and care that she received on a daily basis. They experienced, with Billy, all of the wonderful and funny events that naturally came with caring for Martha.
She will be missed beyond measure. Eternal rest grant unto Martha Ellen and may perpetual light shine upon her.
A private Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8th at Espiritu Santo Catholic Church in Safety Harbor, Florida. A memorial Mass will follow at a later date.
Martha Ellen McCaffray Dodd is survived by her loving husband, William (Billy) A. Dodd Jr, daughters Alycia (Muffin) Dodd, Lindsay Dodd Gannon, Amanda Dodd Miller, Lacy Dodd Miske and son Laurin Kirkpatrick Dodd; sons-in-law William (Bill) Gannon IV, Jacob (Jake) Miller and Robert (Bobby) Miske; daughter-in-law Sophia Rose Santy Dodd; grandchildren Bennett Tullos, Henley Tullos, Hayden Tullos, Gracie Tullos, Caroline Gannon, William (Liam) Gannon V, Andrew Gannon, Luke (Finn) Gannon, Elizabeth (Seton) Gannon, Kathryn Miller, Winston Miller, London Miller, Revell Miller, Mary-Logan Miske, Wilson Miske, Jackson Miske and Liadan Miske. She is survived by her brother Charles (Ned) McCaffray Jr, and four sisters, Susan van den Toorn, Melinda Rose, Margaret (Margee) Zemarel and Virginia (Ginny) Byrnes and brothers-in-law Rudolph (Rudy) Rose, Jonathan (Jon) Zemarel, and Norris Byrnes and Michael Dodd; sisters-in-law Patricia Dodd and Maureen Dodd. She is also survived by too many nieces and nephews to count. She is preceded in death by her beloved parents, Charles and Martha McCaffray, her cherished parents-in-law, William and Louise Dodd, her sister-in-law, Theodora (Theo) McCaffray, and brother-in-law Willem (Bill) van den Toorn.
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