Jean W. Martz

Jean Winebrener Martz, age 99, passed away peacefully on May 30, 2025 at her beloved home on Winpenny Tell outside of Frederick.

Born on January 12, 1926, Jean was the daughter of the late Julia Augusta Sommerfield and Byron Augustus Winebrener. As a young lady coming up in the world, she grew up on Clark Place in Frederick and remembered riding her bike on Market Street with no traffic in sight. She enjoyed riding and jumping horses with friends around Frederick, especially on her hunter-jumper Lady Bug.

She graduated from Frederick High School in 1942. She went on to attend St. Mary’s College on the Eastern Shore and graduated in 1947 from the University of Maryland where she was active with her sister Peggy Kinsey in the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority.

After college, Jean worked in Washington, Baltimore, and Hagerstown in merchandising often taking a bus back and forth from Frederick. It was during this time through mutual friends that she met her future husband of 55 years, Walter Atlee Martz who predeceased her in 2005. Marrying in 1950, they made a life together in the country on a multi-generational working dairy farm where they raised six children, all of whom graduated from college and went on to have professional pursuits.

Walter served many years as President of the Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Federation and was a member of the National Dairy Board. These roles enabled them to travel together to meetings all over the U.S. They enjoyed golf and belonged to Eaglehead and, later, Holly Hills, where Jean shot a hole in one. While she enjoyed tennis as well, she continued to play golf well into her late 80s.

Working with the well-known landscape designer Stuart Haller, Jean created award-winning flower, herb and rock gardens that today still beautifully surround her centuries-old stone home. Her wildflower garden, painstakingly planted with flowers from the 1700’s in keeping with the house, was recognized with an award at the state of Maryland level. A long-time member of the Frederick Garden Club, she served as the Director of District Five and as a Vice Director for many years.

After Walter passed away, Jean traveled outside the U.S. with friends and enjoyed a walking tour of English gardens and cruising the Mediterranean. Above all the places she visited, Williamsburg, VA, was by far her favorite. She visited Williamsburg often and enjoyed bringing back to her home many design ideas she acquired there.

In addition to her sister, Peggy Kinsey, Jean is survived by her six children: Walter Clayton Martz, II (Dianne Gwaltney Martz); Byron Winebrener Martz (Stacey Anne Poulos Martz); Barbara Sommerfield Martz Van Allen (Peter C. Van Allen); Elizabeth Steiner Martz (great friend Matthew Bowers); Stephen Craver Martz (Tammy Keyser Martz); and Julia Augusta Martz-Fisher (Michael D. Fisher). She was blessed with many grandchildren including Atlee (Kelli) , Gus (Mackenzie), Megan (Nick), Peter, Caroline, Augusta (Brandon), Andrew (Kimberly), Gracie, Chase and Hannah, as well as great grands James, Wally, Hannah Lane, Paige, Will and Caroline.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to her caregivers / “administrative assistants” who helped make Jean’s later years active and joyful. This amazing group included Pattie Palmer, Pam Kilcoyne, Melanie Ledford, Mary Castiblanco, Stephanie Watters and Trish Lutz.

Private graveside service will be held Saturday, June 7, 2025. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Jean may be made to the Legacy 300 Fund at the Evangelical Lutheran Church on Church Street in Frederick.