Martha A. Halberstadt, 65, State College died on Tuesday at Mount Nittany Medical Center after a brief illness. She was blessed with 42 years of marriage to her loving husband, Geoffrey Halberstadt, Sr.
Born in Philadelphia, Martha was the daughter of the late William and Regina Campbell Esack, was of the Roman Catholic faith, and a proud graduate of Cardinal Dougherty High School.
To know Martha was to know a mother and grandmother. Her pride, her enthusiasm, and her energy flowed towards her two sons and two grandchildren. She passed along a love of books, reading, and stories, spending hours reading with her sons and building out her grandchildren’s library. A lifelong Phillies fan, she would travel down 5th Street to the Vet to watch games with her dad, and as an adult, she’d head over to Citizens Bank Park from her dream beach home at the shore in Ocean City, NJ. Martha loved the beach, walking with her dog, Summer, and listening to the Ocean City Pops. At home, she took loving care of her cat Finn and the many animals she loved throughout her life, including supporting those at the National Zoo and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. Martha was always ready to play a board game or listen to some Bruce Springsteen, and she excitedly celebrated Christmas. Her grandchildren could talk her into running through the water buckets each year at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. On a sunny day, Martha could be found feeding the birds in her backyard and tending to her flower garden, like she tended to most things in life, with care, focus, and an admiration for all gentle things.
She will be lovingly remembered by her sons, Jason Halberstadt, Ephrata, and Geoff Halberstadt and his wife, Lauren, and her grandchildren, Eve and Enzo Halberstadt, State College.
Private services will be held at the convenience of the family..