Obituary of Mary-Martha Hope (Miller) O’Rand, 47
December 5, 1974 – July 24, 2022
– Mary-Martha Hope (Miller) O’Rand, 47, of Pierce, Colorado, was called home to be with our Lord on July 24, 2022. Born premature on December 5, 1974, she was a fighter from her very first day on this earth and that spirit and determination carried her through 47 years full of life, love, and accomplishments.
Born in Fresno, Calif., to Leland Theodore and Winsome Lois Miller, she was the fourth of seven Miller children. With snow-white hair and piercing blue eyes, Martha’s zeal for life was infectious. Martha never took a single day for granted and live each one to the fullest.
The Millers lived in Fresno and Hanford, Calif., before settling down in Paso Robles in 1979. Martha went to elementary, middle, and high school in Paso Robles, graduating from Paso Robles High School in 1993. Martha was an excellent student, loved by her teachers and her peers, and was a proud member of the Paso Robles High School Drill Team. After graduating high school, Martha moved to Bakersfield to attend California State University, Bakersfield, and earned a bachelor of arts degree in business administration and management. While completing her degree, Martha began working for State Farm Insurance, beginning a long career in the insurance industry. Martha made her mark as an expert in the insurance industry, but her dream was to be a teacher, and Martha was able to realize her dream when she was hired as a teacher at Highland High School in Ault, Colorado, teaching business courses to high school students from 2019 through 2021.
Shortly after graduation from college, Martha met the love of her life, John O’Rand. John and Martha were married in 2002. By the end of 2002, their first daughter Amber would come into their life, followed by Caitlyn in 2004 and Madison in 2007, making their family complete. Martha and John moved to Colorado in 2003, and Martha continued to excel in her career with State Farm, but her greatest joy came from being a wife and mother. Martha and John bought a home on five acres, where they would raise horses, the occasional cow, and babies. Martha rarely missed a school event for her children; school plays to band concerts and volleyball tournaments to track meets, if her girls were involved, she was in the audience cheering them on. Martha’s other loves included her amazing vegetable garden, hunting, fishing, and camping.
Martha is survived by her parents, Leland and Winsome Miller, husband John O’Rand, daughters Amber, Caitlyn, and Madison, brothers James (and Pamela), Andrew (and Hanae), Mathew (and Jennifer), Joshua (and Jennifer), and Ryan (and Hanna), sister Amy (and Gregory), sister-in-laws Deborah (and Michael) and Katie (and Gregory), and a large extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Martha was laid to rest on Friday, July 29, 2022.
The family would like to send a special thanks to the many people who have cared for Martha over the years. Martha was first diagnosed with cancer at the age of 11 and because of the wonderful care she always received, was able to live a full and rewarding life; from Dr. Peter Wittlinger in Fresno who was one of the first oncologists Martha ever saw to the hospital staff at North Colorado Medical Center who helped ease her pain in her last days, our family will forever be in your debt.
Martha never wanted to be known as “the kid with cancer” or “the mom with cancer” but she was the first one to donate her time and energy to support the many organizations dedicated to cancer research. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to encourage donations in Martha’s memory to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life program.
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