Born: May 25, 1951 URS: January 23, 2023
On Monday, January 23rd, 2023 Dana Martens, beloved Mother, Aunt, Teacher and Friend passed away at the age of 71 while visiting her son in Austin. She was Born to Rudolph and Anne Pettiet in Godley Texas on May 25th 1951. Dana recieved her education from The University of Texas and devoted her life to teaching, touching thousands of lives in her career.
Dana was initiated by Pir Vilayat in 1986, receiving the name Shafiya. She moved to the Abode in 1987 and lived there and at West Family off and on for a number of years. She taught for several years at Mountain Road School at the Abode.
Before Retiring last year she’d spent 15 years teaching in Hawkins Middle and Elementary school. She is survived by her son Connor.
I met Dana 50 years ago in Austin, Texas, when we became roommates in one of the co-op houses at the University of Texas. We were instantly soulmates and in fact through the years felt more like sisters. Together we shared many houses and adventures through the years. She moved to the Abode the summer before I did and was instrumental in getting me here as well as a teaching job at Mountain Road School. We kept in touch through her moves back to Texas and to Holland, and since the beginning of the pandemic, by weekly zoom meetings with several of our cohorts from that year in the Austin co-op house. Then in June of 2022 we finally reconnected as housemates once again when she moved back from Texas to share my house in our retirement. We were overjoyed to be once again a daily part of each other’s lives. I grieve that it was such a short time. Dana is one of the kindest, sweetest people I have ever known, evidenced by the many people she has touched–especially her beloved students through the years. I will miss Dana and her joyous smile.
Though I have not seen Dana since I left the New Lebanon area more than 20 years ago, I remember her kindness. When Connor was just a toddler and a young child, I would see her with him -gently listening, guiding, encouraging, appreciating. Her consistent love, patience, and kindness seemed always to characterize her presence.