Surrounded by loved ones, Martha Cate Thompson, 89, passed into eternal rest on December 14, 2025, at Foxdale Village. Born on July 28, 1936, in Manchester, New Hampshire, she was the daughter of the late Frank D. Cate and the late Marion Childs Cate.
She graduated from Manchester Central High School in 1954, and graduated from Peter Bent Brigham (Boston, MA) school of Nursing in 1957. She served as an emergency room nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, and then as a floor nurse in the Willowbank Hospital in Bellefonte, PA and at the Mountainview Hospital in State College. Eager to teach future nurses, she pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, and graduated from Penn State in 1980. She went on to teach Practical Nursing students and Registered Nurse students at the Centre County Vocational Technical School, the Central Pennsylvania School of Nursing at Philipsburg Hospital, and at the Lock Haven University Nursing Program at Clearfield. After retirement from teaching, she assessed Certified Nursing Assistants through the American Red Cross.
On July 4, 1959, Martha married Dr. William Thompson, Jr. He preceded her in death in 2007. Martha is survived by her sister, Anna Mae Haynes of Hooksett, NH, children Melanie DeRenzo (Ron) of Flower Mound, TX; Sharon Frandsen (Mike) of Fennville, MI; Jennifer Wagner (Dave) of Dallas, TX; and Keith Thompson (Christy) of Ambler, PA. She is also survived by two nieces, Janice Morin of Manchester, NH; and Dawna Kidder of Goffstown, NH. Martha has nine grandchildren: Dr. Sarah Goforth (Marshall); Austin DeRenzo; James Wagner (Kassidy); Dr. Jane Frandsen; Joel DeRenzo; Andrew Wagner (Rifah Huq); Kate Silvestri (Joe); Miciah Enger (Hudson); and Hannah Wagner. Five great-grandchildren survive her: Preston and Jonathan Goforth, Will and Emma Wagner, and Miller Thompson Enger.
In addition to advancing the profession of nursing, Martha was involved in community and civic organizations including the Penn State Faculty Women’s Club, the Graduate Nurses Study Club, several women’s bowling leagues, and the State College Women’s Club. She was crucial in the formation of a local chapter of the American Diabetes Association, and could be found helping the State College Lions Club concession stand at State College High School football games. She was recognized by the Centre County Council for Human Services for Outstanding Contributions in the field of Human Services. She attended Faith United Church of Christ where she assisted with tutoring school students and distributing food packages to families in need. She was a creative person who enjoyed knitting, needlepoint, and sewing and was an active member of Embroiderers’ Guild and Centre Pieces Quilt Guild.
Martha moved into Foxdale Village in 2014 and reunited with friends and colleagues from her College Heights neighborhood, the Engineering and Acoustics faculties at Penn State, fellow nurses, and she made new friends from State College and afar. She was especially proud of the caregivers at Foxdale, many of whom are her former students.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 PM on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at Koch Funeral Home, State College. Burial will occur at Oak Neck Cemetery in Hyannis, MA, on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. A Celebration of Life service will be held in the Auditorium at Foxdale Village on Friday, July 3, 2026 at 2PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the Anthony House Memory Care Unit at Foxdale Village, 500 E. Marylyn Ave. State College, PA 16801, or at https://www.foxdalevillage.org/giving or to the Nursing Education and Professional Development at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Development Office, 263 Huntington Avenue, #318 Boston, MA 02115-4506 or at https://give.brighamandwomens.org/memorial-tribute-gifts