Martha Spencer, 97, died on June 15 at UNC Hospitals. She was a resident at Carol Woods Retirement Community.

Martha was born in New York City to Minnie and Louis Willner and grew up in Yonkers, N.Y. Her family moved to Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, N.Y., when she was a young adult. There she met her husband, Barney Spencer, whom she married in 1937, and who predeceased her in 1974.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Minna and Haven Wiley of Carrboro; her son, Norman Spencer, of Northampton, Mass.; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and several loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was predeceased by her two younger sisters, Sylvia Morrison and Rita Barrett.

She moved to Chapel Hill in 1982, where she was a regular volunteer for Planned Parenthood and UNC Hospitals. She received the Margaret Sanger Award from Planned Parenthood in 1989 and the Elaine Hill Award for Distinguished Volunteer Service at UNC Hospitals in 1995. For many years she traveled with groups from the N.C. Botanical Garden.

A reception to honor Martha's life will be held in the Carol Woods social lounge on Thursday, July 2, at 3 p.m.

Please make donations in her memory to Planned Parenthood of America, UNC Hospitals Volunteer Services or the N.C. Botanical Garden.