Martha Lou Loftus

Martha Lou Ricks Loftus passed away peacefully at the age of 98 on July 23, 2024, in Bellevue, Washington. Martha was born on May 9, 1926, in Gasconade, Missouri, to Edwin Jessie Ricks and Bertha Ellen Boren, who were married over 70 years. Martha had six siblings: Melvin, Velma, Floyd, Naomi, Henry (Nathan), and Roy J Ricks, who is 102 years old and lives in Grand Junction, Colorado.  During Martha’s early years, her family moved from Missouri to Eastern Colorado, where they lived on a farm and toiled to earn money during the Great Depression. During their school years, Martha and her brother Roy rode John, the family’s one-eyed horse, over three miles to a one-room schoolhouse. Martha loved her siblings, and was especially close to Velma and Roy. After high school, she moved to California to help her sister Velma run her cafe/restaurant.  Martha eventually settled in Seattle, got married, had two children, and became a Rosie the Riveter.  She joined the Boeing Company, where she spent the majority of her career, and where she met Tom, her husband of 47 years. She retired as a Lead Inspector after almost 40 years at Boeing.

Martha was a friendly, outgoing person. She was passionate about her family and friends, whom she would call and write often. She enjoyed growing tomatoes, tending to her numerous azaleas and rhododendrons, salmon fishing in Sekiu, hunting, dancing to live music, hosting parties with delicious margaritas, attending potlucks in Yuma with her lemon lush dessert in hand, jeeping and hot dog roasts in the desert, RV travel, and visiting new places that she thoroughly documented with photography and home videos.

Martha was known for her positive attitude and warm smile. She loved bright colors, and her wardrobe reflected it. She always had on lipstick and nail polish. She enjoyed yard and house projects, and you could often find her with a paint brush in her hand.  She was a hard worker her entire life.

Martha is survived by her children Kathy Olson and Steve Staudt, son-in-law Lou Olson, five grandchildren: Debbie, Brian, Rinda, Megin, and Stephen, as well as great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

Services will be held for Tom and Martha Loftus on October 17, 11:30 am at

Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th Street, Kent, WA  98042.

There will be a luncheon from 1:30-3:30 pm in the Cedar Room at Maplewood Golf Course,  4050 Maple Valley Rd, Renton, WA  98058.

Please contact Kathy Olson with any questions at 206.683.7416.