Martha Maxine Eastham

Martha was born in Brookville, Pennsylvania on May 25, 1922 to parents Mervin Earl Dinger and Mary Esther Rhodes. The family moved to northeastern Ohio when she was a child, and she spent most of her early years in Alliance, Ohio where she met and married Allen Eastham. They left many close friends and family in 1962 to follow their dream of moving to San Diego, California when Dad was hired at Rohr Corporation in Chula Vista. Mom soon became a medical secretary to Dr. Ann Cooper, a pediatrician in Chula Vista, and she loved her job. They bought a house where Mom was able to plant and lovingly care for an extensive rose garden. She even won awards including blue ribbons at the San Diego Rose Society’s annual rose show in Balboa Park and Mom was ‘deservedly’ very proud of her gorgeous displays. She also enjoyed sewing and making stitcheries at that time. After Dr. Cooper retired, Mom worked for Children’s Home Society Adoption Agency in Kearny Mesa in the capacity of receptionist and secretary. She was there for many years until retirement. It was there that she met her friend Joan who became her lifelong pal. Mom, Joan, Alfie and other friends would meet regularly for a nice lunch and games. Mom lost no time in keeping herself busy by volunteering, which she felt great satisfaction doing. She worked at the VA Hospital in La Jolla and would even bake cookies for the guys there that she cared for. After moving to Oceanside, she volunteered at Tri City Hospital on the cancer floor (where later our father passed away), followed by Brother Benno’s Thrift Shop where she would press the laundered clothes and price and label them for sale. Mom always wanted to be a nurse like her older sister Dorothy and she loved nice clothes, so her volunteering was appropriately an outlet for her interests. What we’ll really remember about Mom is how she loved life, all her treasures collected at garage sales and thrift shops, plants and flowers, good food (and make sure it’s hot!), enjoying her evening glass of wine, following the PGA and Padres on TV, but mostly being with friends and family. She was not one to miss a party, camping trip or any opportunity to get out and have fun. Mom loved people and was an avid reader especially biographies. Mom had a strong will to never give up, for example on her 89th birthday she studied really hard before taking her written driving test and passed, although she never drove after that due to her health challenges. Mom had a great sense of humor, was a good sport, a good cook, an all-around good egg. She’ll put a smile on our faces when we think of her. Mom gave generously to charities, some of her favorites were Wounded Warriers, Love a Child (Haiti), and St. Judes for Children Research Hospital. She is predeceased by her husband Al and her four siblings, Paul, Dave and Richard Dinger and sister Dorothy Newman. She is survived by her children, Allen II, Lynn Pentel and Robert of Oceanside and Barbara Ames of Jamul; grandchildren, Matt, David, Daniel and Kelly, and great grandchildren Tyler, Madi Lynne, Madison, Noah and Jordyn.

Special thanks go to her wonderful doctors, Sanjana Chaturvedi and Karin Mahl-Sansone and to Elizabeth Hospice who in the last ten days of her life provided amazing comfort, guidance and compassion to Mom and her family.

Mom had put this poem in her folder of last wishes, I think she would want us to share it with all who loved her.

I’m Free

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free.

I’m following the path God laid for me.

I took His hand when I heard the call,

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day

To laugh, to love, to work, or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way,

I found that peace at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void

Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,

Ah yes, these things, I too, will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow.

I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life’s been full, I savored much:

Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief

Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your heart and share with me-

God wanted me now, He set me free.