Saturday, July 2nd, 1938 – Friday, February 20th, 2026
Martha Mae Wilson, 88, of Gardner, Kansas, passed away peacefully on February 20, 2026, at the Olathe Hospice House surrounded by her family. Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, February 26, 2026 at Bruce Funeral Home, 106 S. Center, Gardner, Kansas. Burial will follow at Johnson County Memorial Gardens, 11200 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, Kansas. Condolences may be left at www.brucefuneralhome.com
Martha was born on July 2, 1937, in Olathe, Kansas, to Chester and Mae Pfeifer. She graduated from Olathe North High School and began building a life centered on love, faith, and family.
On August 26, 1956, she married Phillip Dean Wilson, the love of her life. Together, they began their journey in Philadelphia, where Martha worked as a secretary. They later welcomed their three children: Michael Dean Wilson, born September 10, 1960; Todd Albert Wilson, born October 8, 1963; and their only daughter, Jill Denise Street (Wilson), born October 14, 1964, who preceded her in death on February 26, 2025.
After the birth of Michael, Martha and Dean returned to Olathe, where she devoted 26 wonderful years working as a secretary at the Kansas School for the Deaf. Martha and Dean were devoted Christians whose faith was the foundation of their lives. They were rarely seen apart — where there was one, there was always the other.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Chester and Mae Pfeifer; her daughter, Jill Denise Street; her sister, Betty Jean May (Leonard); and her sister, Ruth Ilene Shute (Al). She is survived by her sister, Shirley Louise Martens (Henry); her sons, Michael Dean Wilson and Todd Albert Wilson; and many loving grandchildren, nieces, and nephews who will continue to honor her legacy.
Martha was a gentle soul whose kindness and warmth touched everyone she met. She will be deeply missed and forever cherished in the hearts of those who loved her.
Obituary published by Bruce Funeral Home.
