Calling Hours: 5 to 8 pm, Friday, September 30, 2016
Mass: 10:00 am, Saturday, October 1, 2016, St. Pius X Church, Scarsdale, NY
Martha P. Pope died peacefully on September 28, 2016 at her home in Scarsdale, N.Y. where she lived for 59 years. Martha, 92, was the daughter of the late Dr. Vincent Pascale and Mary Elizabeth Hayes Pascale, of Bronxville and Manhattan, N.Y. and Louisville, Kentucky. She was the sister of the late Mary Elizabeth Craig and the late Dr. Vincent Pascale. Her husband, Leavitt J. Pope, a founder, President and CEO of N.Y.’s first independent television station, WPIX, predeceased her. Surviving are ten of her 11 children and their spouses: Joseph (predeceased), Daniel, Patricia, Lizabeth, Nancy O’Connell, Maria Slenker, Joan, Christopher, Virginia, Matthew and Charles; 24 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Martha was born in Manhattan and raised in Greenwich Village, Bronxville and Louisville. She was a graduate of the Bronxville public schools, Marymount College in Tarrytown, N.Y. and Katharine Gibbs in Manhattan. As a young career woman, Martha held a number of positions in the media and fashion publishing fields, including WOR Radio, Ladies Home Journal and LOOK Magazine. She married her husband in 1948, whom she met while attending the same local Bronxville schools. They enjoyed 59 busy and contented years together, raising their 11 children in Scarsdale. Martha’s life focus was on her family, friends and church. She was a volunteer coach for many of her children’s sports teams; a keen supporter of local Girl Scout activities; a film reviewer for several organizations; a gifted amateur photographer, recording many lost historic sites in her beloved Hudson River Valley; a keen reader of old historical accounts of New York State history; and an avid hiker and adventurous explorer, especially in the Shawangunk and Catskill Mountains. Together with her husband, she was a founding member of the Church of St. Pius X and its former grammar school in Scarsdale. N.Y. She was a life-long member of The Scarsdale Women’s Club and a generous philanthropist, supporting numerous environmental, civic and historical associations. She was above all fond of nature and all animals, especially her dogs. Beloved by her numerous grandchildren, Martha was kind, happy, and content with her life and brought joy to her family and friends with her ready smile, girlish laugh and a sense of spirited fun. Visiting hours at the Fred H. McGrath & Son Funeral Home, Bronxville, N.Y. are on Friday, September 30 between the hours of 5-8pm. A Funeral Mass will be offered at the Church of St. Pius X, 91 Secor Rd., Scarsdale, N.Y on Saturday, October 1 at 10am. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the St. Pius X Church Building Fund, Scarsdale, NY 10583 (www.saintpiusxchurch.com) and the SPCA of Westchester, Inc., 590 North State Road, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. 10510 (www.spca914.org).
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