Martha "Marty" Klaus Patten

Martha “Marty” Patten of Grants Pass, Oregon, passed away on August 7, 2026, at the age of 88.

Born in Portland, Oregon, and raised in Salem, Marty lived a life filled with adventure, music, fashion, friendship, family, and, perhaps most importantly, laughter.

Marty attended Oregon State University in Corvallis, where she met Cecil “Cec” Driskell. They married in Salem and soon began a life together that took them across the country. They lived in the Washington, D.C. area, Seattle, and California before settling in Anchorage, Alaska, where they raised their family. Eventually, they settled in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Later in life, Marty met Mike Patten, and the two shared three happy years of marriage before Mike passed away.

Music was an important part of Marty’s life. She loved to sing and shared her voice with several groups over the years, including Sweet Adelines, the Rogue Valley Barbershop group, and the choir at Bethany Presbyterian Church.

But Marty will perhaps be remembered most for the way she made people feel. She had quick wit, a wonderfully inclusive personality, and an ability to make people laugh. She welcomed people easily and had a way of making them feel like part of the family. Although she had three grandchildren by birth, she was “Grandma” to many more.

Marty is survived by her three children, Suzie Anderson, Cliff Driskell, and Laura Holcombe, and her grandchildren, Tim Switzer, Josh Holcombe, and Sarah Holcombe, along with the many friends and extended family members whose lives were made brighter by knowing her.

In keeping with Marty’s love of animals, memorial donations may be made to the Rogue Valley Humane Society. There will be a celebration of life in the Spring, Marty's favorite time of the year.

Marty leaves behind a lifetime of stories, laughter, music, and memories, and a great many people who were fortunate enough to call her family, friend, or simply “Grandma.”

Please share a memory of Marty in her Guestbook.