Pamela Ogden
In Memory of
Pamela Ammen Martin
Ogden
1938 -
2018

Obituary for Pamela Ammen Martin Ogden

Pamela Ammen Martin  Ogden
Pamela Martin Ogden, 79, passed away on Friday, June 1, 2018, at her home in Salem, Va.

Born on Friday, October 18, 1938, in Roanoke, Va., Pam was the oldest child of Robert Darst Martin and Charlotte Fishburn Martin.

Pam graduated from Roanoke Catholic High School and attended Roanoke College, where she met her beloved husband of 45 years, Bruce. Together Pam and Bruce raised four children. Once her youngest child went off to college, Pam went back to school herself, graduating from Radford University in 1991, with a degree in art and anthropology, and was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi and Lambda Alpha honor societies.

Inspired by her first art teacher and aunt, Harriet Stokes, she started showing her work in local art shows and became an award-winning artist with her works in collections all over the world. Pam caught the travel bug in 1973, when she moved her family to France as Bruce took a temporary assignment there. She traveled all over the US, especially to our national parks, and all around the world, with family, friends, and art groups. Each new country became her favorite country as she learned everything she could about the landscape, architecture, art, food, and people around her.

Gardening was another lifelong passion of Pam’s. She always kept a beautifully landscaped home, helped her family and friends with their gardens, and even became a Master Gardener to share her knowledge more widely. Pam loved the outdoors and camped, canoed, and motorcycled all over the country with Bruce.

Faith was important to Pam and she was deeply involved in her church community, most recently at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Salem.

Pam was preceded in death by her husband, Bruce; her parents; and her youngest sister, Tessa Martin.

She is survived by her two daughters, Kate of Richmond, Va., and Elizabeth Dunn and husband, Willcox, of Richmond, Va.; two sons, Robert and wife, Cate, of San Luis Obispo, Calif., and John and wife, Margaret Ryan, of San Francisco, Calif.; six grandchildren, Hannah Ogden, Lelia Dunn, Sam Ogden, Milla Ogden, Maddie Dunn, and Nadya Ogden; sister, Kitty Thomas and husband, Fred, of Roanoke, Va., two brothers, Michael Martin and wife, Annette, of Missoula, Mont.; David Martin and wife, Pat, of Greensboro, N.C.; and many nieces, nephews, godchildren, and friends, all of whom she loved very much and who will miss her enthusiasm, zest for life, encyclopedic knowledge, and sense of humor.

A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Salem, Va.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Parks Foundation (www.nationalparks.org). Online condolences may be expressed at www.johnmoakey.com.
Share by: