FALMOUTH – Martha “Marti” Galli passed away surrounded by family on May 18, 2023. Born Oct. 20, 1933, in Irvington, N.J. Marti was the first child of Stewart G. Stalnecker and Martha M. Morgenwick.

Marti was raised in Maplewood, N.J. Her father was Treasurer for Public Service Electric & Gas, New Jersey’s largest utility, and her mother had been a teacher.

Marti was a Jersey Girl and proud of it. She insisted that Jersey tomatoes were the best and the pizza better than anywhere. But she loved Maine, could never eat enough lobster, and made many friends since moving here 14 years ago to be near her youngest daughter, Odette. Marti was warm, down to earth and at her core, an incredibly social person. She was smart and feisty, outgoing and outspoken, determined and resilient. She had a great sense of humor, always making the best of any situation and loved to have fun.

Marti adored the seashore – the “Jersey Shore,” of course. Every year during her childhood, her father rented a house on Long Beach Island. Apocryphally, her first visit to the beach was in a wash basket when she was just six months old. Together with her younger brother, Stewart, Jr., Marti spent her summers clamming, fishing, and swimming. Marti and Stewart remained extremely close throughout their lives and spent many happy times together at Stewart’s home in Barnegat Light.

Marti also had a sense for adventure. She signed up for the Girl Scout Mariners when she was in high school so she could cruise the waters around Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard with Captain Irving Johnson and his wife Exy aboard their 96-foot brigantine called the Yankee.

After Marti graduated from Green Mountain College, and with her father’s encouragement, she enrolled in the Experiment in International Living in 1952. Crossing the Atlantic by ship, Marti spent three months abroad, much of it living in Madrid with the loving family of a Spanish doctor, Luis de Prados Beltran. His daughter, Mary Sol, became Marti’s Spanish “sister” and life-long friend. Marti was fluent in Spanish, and returned to Madrid over thirty times to visit Mary Sol. In between, they exchanged countless letters and phone calls, all in Spanish, including just a week before Marti passed.

Spanish also played a role in Marti having met and married Keith Galli, who predeceased her in 2021. Marti’s aunt was best friends with her high school Spanish teacher who also happened to be Keith’s aunt. The two aunts convinced Marti and Keith to go out on a blind date. Several years later, they married.

Marti and Keith settled and raised their two daughters and many generations of beloved dogs in Morristown, New Jersey. Having always been community minded, Marti volunteered in the local hospital, community center (where she taught English as a second language), and most importantly her church. She is best known here for tirelessly volunteering in the Parish kitchen at The Episcopal Church of St. Mary in Falmouth.

The church and her faith played an important role in Marti’s life, particularly toward the end of it. The family wishes to express its profound gratitude to The Episcopal Church of St. Mary. Marti joined St. Mary shortly after moving to Falmouth, and was warmly welcomed into its community, one which provided Marti with deep friendships as well as tremendous love, support, and care.

Marti was also predeceased by her brother Stewart; and Tank, an English bulldog. Marti is survived by her two daughters, Lisa Galli of Brunswick, Odette Thurston and her husband Scott of Falmouth, her sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Carl Gowan of San Rafael, Calif., her sister-in-law and brother-in-law Sandra and Michel Ferber of Accord, N.Y., and her Spanish “sister,” Mary Sol Prados de Caballero of Madrid, Spain.

A service in celebration of Marti’s life will be held at The Episcopal Church of St. Mary, 43 Foreside Road, Falmouth, Maine, on Thursday June 8, at 10 a.m., followed by a reception at 11a.m. in the Parish House.

Arrangements are with Jones, Rich, & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford Street, Portland.

Online condolences may be shared with her family at http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to:

The Episcopal Church of St. Mary (smary.org) or:

the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland

(arlgp.org) 2023. Born Oct. 20, 1933, in Irvington, N.J. Marti was the first child of Stewart G. Stalnecker and Martha M. Morgenwick.

Marti was raised in Maplewood, N.J. Her father was Treasurer for Public Service Electric & Gas, New Jersey’s largest utility, and her mother had been a teacher.

Marti was a Jersey Girl and proud of it. She insisted that Jersey tomatoes were the best and the pizza better than anywhere. But she loved Maine, could never eat enough lobster, and made many friends since moving here 14 years ago to be near her youngest daughter, Odette. Marti was warm, down to earth and at her core, an incredibly social person. She was smart and feisty, outgoing and outspoken, determined and resilient. She had a great sense of humor, always making the best of any situation and loved to have fun.

Marti adored the seashore – the “Jersey Shore,” of course. Every year during her childhood, her father rented a house on Long Beach Island. Apocryphally, her first visit to the beach was in a wash basket when she was just six months old. Together with her younger brother, Stewart, Jr., Marti spent her summers clamming, fishing, and swimming. Marti and Stewart remained extremely close throughout their lives and spent many happy times together at Stewart’s home in Barnegat Light.

Marti also had a sense for adventure. She signed up for the Girl Scout Mariners when she was in high school so she could cruise the waters around Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard with Captain Irving Johnson and his wife Exy aboard their 96-foot brigantine called the Yankee.

After Marti graduated from Green Mountain College, and with her father’s encouragement, she enrolled in the Experiment in International Living in 1952. Crossing the Atlantic by ship, Marti spent three months abroad, much of it living in Madrid with the loving family of a Spanish doctor, Luis de Prados Beltran. His daughter, Mary Sol, became Marti’s Spanish “sister” and life-long friend. Marti was fluent in Spanish, and returned to Madrid over thirty times to visit Mary Sol. In between, they exchanged countless letters and phone calls, all in Spanish, including just a week before Marti passed.

Spanish also played a role in Marti having met and married Keith Galli, who predeceased her in 2021. Marti’s aunt was best friends with her high school Spanish teacher who also happened to be Keith’s aunt. The two aunts convinced Marti and Keith to go out on a blind date. Several years later, they married.

Marti and Keith settled and raised their two daughters and many generations of beloved dogs in Morristown, New Jersey. Having always been community minded, Marti volunteered in the local hospital, community center (where she taught English as a second language), and most importantly her church. She is best known here for tirelessly volunteering in the Parish kitchen at The Episcopal Church of St. Mary in Falmouth.

The church and her faith played an important role in Marti’s life, particularly toward the end of it. The family wishes to express its profound gratitude to The Episcopal Church of St. Mary. Marti joined St. Mary shortly after moving to Falmouth, and was warmly welcomed into its community, one which provided Marti with deep friendships as well as tremendous love, support, and care.

Marti was also predeceased by her brother Stewart; and Tank, an English bulldog. Marti is survived by her two daughters, Lisa Galli of Brunswick, Odette Thurston and her husband Scott of Falmouth, her sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Carl Gowan of San Rafael, Calif., her sister-in-law and brother-in-law Sandra and Michel Ferber of Accord, N.Y., and her Spanish “sister,” Mary Sol Prados de Caballero of Madrid, Spain.

A service in celebration of Marti’s life will be held at The Episcopal Church of St. Mary, 43 Foreside Road, Falmouth, Maine, on Thursday June 8, at 10 a.m., followed by a reception at 11a.m. in the Parish House.

Arrangements are with Jones, Rich, & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford Street, Portland.

Online condolences may be shared with her family at http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to:

The Episcopal Church of St. Mary (smary.org) or:

the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland

(arlgp.org)