Martha E. Krause

Martha E. Krause died Thursday, March 24, 2022 at Little Brook Nursing and Convalescent Home in Lebanon Township, NJ. She was 93.

Martha was born May 13, 1928, the daughter of the late William and Frieda Hassler Krause. She lived in Hunterdon County her entire life.

Martha grew up on a Lebanon Township farm, where she acquired her diligent work ethic. By the time she graduated Clinton High School in 1947, she’d already worked part-time at the American Store in Clinton and as a waitress in a Clinton diner.

Her career stops included Standard Pressed Steel in Flemington; Custom Processing Corp. in Trenton; Hunterdon County National Bank; Flemington National Bank; and finally the James P. Herbert Co. in Rosemont where she retired at the age of 81. In addition, she was an avid volunteer for many years at Hunterdon Medical Center.

Martha was a trailblazer for her time. Prior to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974, women weren’t typically eligible for mortgages. But that didn’t stop Martha, who leveraged her bank job for the mortgage on her North Place home in Flemington, where she lived most of her life.

At the time, North Place didn’t officially exist; it was unpaved and considered by Flemington Borough to be an alley, despite the presence of homes. Martha didn’t think that was right, so she rallied her “alley” neighbors to convince officials to pave and name the street.

Martha also trail-blazed her way behind the Iron Curtain, traveling twice to visit relatives on both sides of the Berlin Wall.

Martha would periodically share her perspective that certain things were “not right” in letters to the editor that were published in the Hunterdon County Democrat newspaper. Whether it was the passing of the original Flemington Fair (“For us farm kids, the highlight of the summer”), the construction of the county Courthouse on Park Avenue (“a monstrosity”), or an increase in school taxes, she sometimes wrote what others only dared to think. Martha’s no-nonsense letters reflected her no-nonsense style: She was as frugal with words as she was with money.

Martha loved cats. She was an avid gardener and built beautiful, substantial rock walls around her gardens. She knitted exquisite sweaters for nearly everyone she knew. She vacationed, usually once a year, with grade school friends to many areas in the United States and Canada.

Martha is survived by many cousins: Josephine Weiss of Lawrenceville, NJ: Diane Weiss of Lambertville, NJ; Frederick Riegen of Trenton, NJ; Karen Brown of Kilgore, TX: Walter Weiss of Auburn Hills, MI: Wayne Weiss of Pittstown, NJ; Joseph Mazzucco of Coloma, MI; Shirley Weiss of Palm Bay, FL; JoAnn Leeds of Ringoes, NJ; Janice Frank and Angel Guertler of Philadelphia, PA; and many good friends and neighbors.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Flemington-Raritan First Aid & Rescue Squad, PO Box 686, Flemington, NJ 08822.

A graveside service will be held Tuesday, March 29th at 11 a.m. at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Flemington, under the direction of Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. For further information or to send an online condolence, please visit Martha's Tribute Wall at www.holcombefisher.com.