Martha S. Lash

Martha Steward Lash, age 99, of Columbus, Ohio (formerly Urbancrest), passed away June 30, 2018. This remarkable woman known to all simply as Aunt Martha, loved and was cherished by many because of her beautiful heart and compassion for all. She was always fond of saying "I have over 200 nieces and nephews and I love them all!". Born March 25, 1919 to Edward Steward and Emma Myers Steward in Columbus, Ohio, she is preceded in death by her parents and her husband Wilbert Lash; her brother Edward Steward Jr. and her sisters Virgil Steward Hughes, Addie B. Brown, Minnie Steward and Edna Steward; her nieces Freda Hughes Carroll, Almelia Young Steward, Thelma Hughes Middlebrook, Carolyn Hughes Carter Ladd, Martha Purnell Springs, Jackalynn Carroll Hairston, Terri Hairston, and Megan Hughes; nephews Fred Hughes Sr., Fred Hughes Jr., James Middlebrook, Daniel Purnell and Jimmy Kinchen; mother-in-law Katheryn Russell, sister-in-law Mattie Morgan, brother-in-law William Preston; nephews-in-law Elbert Springs, Richard Kinchen, Lafayette Hairston, and Richard Ladd; and sisters in spirit, Berniece and Sarah. She is survived by her nephew Gerald Purnell, nieces Ellen Kinchen and Karen Purnell; sister-in-law Alma Carter; first cousins James Robert (Ella) Smith and Margie Smith (Benny) Stephen; a host of cousins, great, great-great and great-great-great nieces and nephews as well as special friends she considered family. As a devoted 40+ year member of TWIG 114, in support of the Nationwide Children's Hospital, Martha relished the opportunity to not only be of service to her community but to flourish in the life-long friendships forged. After living out loud for 99 years, Aunt Martha has witnessed many technological and cultural revolutions those of her generation never thought possible. Some she whole-heartedly embraced, others she didn't care much for (i.e. the internet, more specifically social media - she felt like it robbed us of sincere and intimate interaction with our fellow human beings), but through all of that, one thing remained constant...Martha. She was direct but honest, firm but loving. She was smart and cunning all the while trying to convince us that with only an 8th grade education, she didn't know much. Spend any time with her and you knew better. Aunt Martha lived the life she wanted and made the most of the cards dealt to her. We will lament the physical loss but we will forever feel her presence through the love she so freely gave to all of us. She was not a perfect person but she was wonderfully, beautifully and incandescently imperfect and we are all the better for knowing her. What greater Legacy could you leave.