Martha Ann Laise Coontz, 88, of Winchester, Virginia passed away on Monday, May 8, 2017 at her home.
Martha was born in 1928 in Inwood, West Virginia, the daughter of the late Marion and Lillie Griffith Laise. She grew up in Inwood and graduated from Martinsburg High School, Class of 1946. Martha married Robert Allen “Bobby” Coontz on July 29, 1950 in Winchester, Virginia, where she lived for the remainder of her life. She worked at the Winchester Credit Bureau during the 1950s and spent the next 20 years at home raising her family of five children. In 1972 she began working at A&P as a checker, and later worked at Sears as a switchboard operator where she was fondly known as “Granny” by her coworkers.
Martha was an avid reader and gardener, spending much of her time tending to flowers in her backyard. She was also a devout fan of the Baltimore Orioles, especially during Earl Weaver’s tenure.
Surviving is a son, John W. Coontz and wife, Missy; daughters, Robann C. Riggleman and husband, Buddy, Rebecca C. Conaboy and husband, Tucker, all of Winchester, Mary M. Coontz of Key West, Florida and Sarah C. Price of Middletown; grandchildren, Matthew Coontz, Eric Coontz, Chris Price, David Coontz, Amanda Riggleman, Molly Conaboy, John Conaboy, Peter Conaboy, and William Conaboy; grandniece, Wendy Granot of Atlanta, Georgia; nephew, Michael Calhoun of Alexandria; and great grandchildren, Jessie Coontz, William Coontz, and Cassie Coontz of Front Royal, David and Parker Price of Middletown, VA.
Mrs. Coontz was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; sister, Evelyn Laise Kees; granddaughter, Katie Coontz; nephew, Marion Kees; special niece, Judith Shanholtz; and son-in-law, David B. Price.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel.
A funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Thursday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel with Pastor Greg Wigfield officiating. A reception will follow the service in the Omps Reception Center at Omps Amherst Chapel. Interment will follow the reception at 2:00 PM in Mount Hebron Cemetery with Pastor Hartley Wigfield officiating.
Serving as pallbearers will be Eric Coontz, John Conaboy, Peter Conaboy, Will Conaboy, Rick Mittler, Calder Withers, and Chris Price.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Martha may be made to the Handley Regional Library Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 58, Winchester, Virginia 22604 or to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork Street, Suite #405, Winchester, VA 22601.