September 24, 1951 - March 17, 2013

Martha (Marte) Joan Carlin, 61, passed from this world on Sunday, March 17, 2013, as she wished, with characteristic grace, surrounded at home by beloved family and friends, to song and celebration of a life lived with passion and endless compassion. Marte’s spontaneous kindness and dedication to justice and peace for loved ones and strangers alike remained steadfast through joyous times and adversity, and will live on through all whose lives she touched.

Born in Oconto, Wisconsin to the Carlin family of Lena and raised on the family farm, Marte was 6th of 11 children , preceded in passing by mother, Mary, father, Robert, sister, Susan Gabriel, and brother, Robert, and survived by sisters Carol (Charlie) Wilbur, Patricia (David) Anderson, Mary (John) Drysdale, Jane Carlin, Jean (John) Bickel, Margaret (John) Knoblauch, Linda (Todd) Heider; brother, Steve (Karen) Carlin; children, Elizabeth (Kevin) Riebe, Robert Cook and Noble Carlin Johnson; grandchildren Alexis, Adam and Arron, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousin, nieces, nephews, dear friends and special friend, Joe.

Marte’s varied pursuits, always centered on serving others, included working as a legal administrative assistant, nursing assistant, medical technician, in real estate sales, home architectural design, and was creator of Door County’s first Multiple Listing Service. She was owner/manager/staff of Oconto’s White Cap Café, caretaker for the elderly, local organizer for several state and national political campaigns, and playwright/producer.

Her stage play “Haven”, won praise in Green Bay, Marinette, DePere and Eau Claire for portraying the personal casualties and pervasiveness of domestic abuse. Building on that success, Marte founded “Women Against Domestic Abuse”, where she called on her many acquired skills to protect and help abused spouses restart their lives, and to advocate for those marginalized by an often dysfunctional justice system. WADA served the elderly, disabled and minorities as well, seeking justice wherever it was found lacking.

As President of WADA, Marte obtained reduced sentencing, exoneration or release from incarceration for many people left vulnerable by a lack of legal representation. With sharp investigative skills and critical analysis, and aided by her friendly spirit and endless determination, Marte spent years gathering and organizing volumes of documentation and testimony to overturn a case of wrongful conviction which, based on her groundbreaking work, is currently being pursued by The Innocence Project.

In Marte’s “Choices” program, she reached out to help young people in student groups throughout Northeast Wisconsin by willingly revealing wounds to her own heart with her deeply personal presentations about the devastating effects of drunk driving. Marte also served on the Governor’s Council on Domestic Abuse, helped to establish and support Green Bay’s Multicultural Center, and organized and participated in numerous peace actions.

While Marte will be dearly missed, her spirit lives on in the untold number of lives she touched, and continues to make a difference to this world. No one with difficulties within Marte’s reach was ever left without a helping hand. No one who opened themselves to her spirit can help but feel that her unconditional love and compassion for all people is now theirs.

We love you, Marte….more….to infinity!

A life celebration will be held Sunday afternoon, June 9th, at Brown County Reforestation Camp Lodge, 4418 Reforestation Road, Green Bay (near New Zoo, Suamico). All-day Marte party, remembrance 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Share a memory, a story, a song, and a dish to pass. Blaney Funeral Home is assisting the family. To send online condolences, please go to www.BlaneyFuneralHome.com.