November 11, 2016

Martha Ann Tedrick passed away on Nov. 11, 2016 in Vancouver, Wash. She was born on May 27, 1924 in Cullman to Sarah Grace & Burney Brown Orr. She had many happy memories of growing up in Cullman. After graduating high school, she pursued her dream of becoming a nurse by joining the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corp program in 1943. She completed her RN training at Nashville General Hospital in 1946. After graduation, and on a dare, she traveled across country by train to begin her nursing career in Upland, Calif.

After marriage to Ray Adams Tedrick in 1948, they moved to San Francisco, Calif. where she fell in love with the SF Bay Area. They had three children and subsequently divorced in 1956. Martha Ann raised and supported her three children on her own, purchasing a home in Belmont, Calif. where she lived for over 50 years. She worked at Sequoia Hospital for 25 years, having to retire early and leave her beloved nursing career in 1981.

She then became passionate about genealogy research, joining the D.A.R. and numerous additional organizations.  She was an active member of Carlmont Methodist and Hillsdale Methodist church. She practiced Tai Chi for over 20 years, which kept her active and centered. She maintained lifelong friendships with her closest childhood and nursing schoolmates. She then began forming new lasting friendships within her Sequoia group, church, genealogy organizations and Tai Chi group.

She was a loving and devoted mother, aunt, and friend. She had the strength and determination to move forward and see the positive that life has to offer. She focused on others rather than herself, seeing the good in people, compassionate and caring to all in her life. She enjoyed keeping up to date on current events, working on crossword puzzles, reading, and watching her team the SF 49ers. All the Porras family brought her great joy and pleasure, surrounding her with love and laughter.

Martha Ann is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Marta “Chele” Tedrick and John Porras; son and daughter-in-law, Marc & Jan Tedrick; nieces, Mary Siegrist and Anne Grace and many grand nieces and nephews. She loved the times spent with her nieces and their extended families.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Mary Grace Longfellow; son, Erik Alan Tedrick and niece, Joan Hardwick Grace.

Family will carry her ashes to Herring Cemetery in Hartselle for interment on May 1, 2017 at 11 a.m.