Martha Grace (Crossman) Griffith

Born in Battle Creek, MI on September 6, 1924 to Leland Earle Crossman, PhD and Jennie Crossman, Martha was the youngest of three sisters. She had a modest upbringing as the daughter of a college professor in the small town of Olivet, Michigan. The house was filled with classical music, fond memories of her mother, and her succession of cats. After her mother died, Martha—then age 10—went to live with her paternal grandparents in Niles, MI. As a teen she attended Frances Shimer Junior College in Mt. Carroll, IL. The young singer then returned to Niles where she graduated from Niles High School in 1942. A true Michigander, Martha attended Michigan State University’s College of Music where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1945.

With her beautiful crystal-clear soprano voice, Martha decided to try her luck in New York City as a professional singer. To supplement her income she worked at various jobs, including as a long-distance operator, then as a clerk at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City.

It was while Martha was with Robert Shaw's Collegiate Chorale that she met the love of her life, another singer named Randy Griffith. After a whirlwind romance they were married April 1953 in New York City; then it was off to the Civil War Battlefields of Pennsylvania and Virginia for their honeymoon.

Martha and Randy moved to California settling first in San Bernardino in 1955. Thereafter, the couple moved to Santa Monica where Martha supported the couple; she worked as a clerk in the UCLA Hospital while Randy earned his Master of Arts degree.

When Randy became a founding faculty member at Moorpark College in 1967, the couple bought a house in Thousand Oaks. Martha quit working and pursued her passion for singing by joining the Ventura County Master Chorale, under the direction of singer Bill Lee. She was also well known for her cooking and baking, especially her ginger snaps and Snickerdoodles, which were quickly snapped up at faculty functions and other social gatherings.

From the time she was little she loved cats. When Martha and Randy moved from New York to California, their NYC alley cat Pusso rode in the car with them. After the move to Thousand Oaks, they began adopting more pets--and taking their menagerie on numerous camping adventures, including the dogs and cats.

Genealogy became another passion when she rediscovered her uncle’s family tree and research. Martha, who loved solving puzzles, found her métier sleuthing through archival records to find obscure ancestors, not only for her families, but also for anyone who asked for her help.

Martha was an active member of the Conejo Valley Genealogical Society, a founding member of the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War of the San Fernando Valley and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Colonial Dames and numerous other genealogical societies.

Martha was preceded in death by her husband Randy, her parents and her two sisters Eleanor Vandervoort and Julia Anderson, sister-in-law Phyllis Lanni, and nephews David Scott and Anthony Lanni. She is survived by her stepson Sean Griffith (Patti) of Poway and brother-in-law Michael A. Lanni of Los Angeles. She is also survived by her nieces Kathy Anderson (Conrad Knipfel) of Larkspur, Levanah Tenen (Stan) of San Anselmo, Linda Scott of Davis, Gloria Scott of Sacramento, Shelly Davis Gordon (Ed) of San Jose, Kristen Davis of Santa Cruz; nephews John Vandervoort (Elena) of San Jose, William Lanni (Angela) of Los Angeles, and Michael Lanni of Denver, CO; step-granddaughters Jennifer Oldenburg (Tracy), Stephanie Kephart, and Allison Hundertmark (Paul) all of Windsor, CO; numerous great-grandchildren, grand nieces and nephews, and scores of friends who loved her dearly and will miss their “Aunt Martha.”